Ducted A/C questions in a 2004 Gulfstream TT

[supertramp]

Hello I just retested all the appliances and such in my new/used TT, it has a automatic climate thermostat I was able to get the furnace to fireup and blow heat but the A/C has me stumped? It's a bit chilly were I live in western South Carolina so I dont know if I can get the A/C compressor to kick in? I set the thermostat to the coldest setting and tried both auto and manual fan modes it's about 40f outside should the AC cycle at least once or do I need to find a way to warm up the thermostat? Before I can test the A/C? Thanks

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by supertramp

Hello I just retested all the appliances and such in my new/used TT, it has a automatic climate thermostat I was able to get the furnace to fireup and blow heat but the A/C has me stumped? It's a bit chilly were I live in western South Carolina so I dont know if I can get the A/C compressor to kick in? I set the thermostat to the coldest setting and tried both auto and manual fan modes it's about 40f outside should the AC cycle at least once or do I need to find a way to warm up the thermostat? Before I can test the A/C? Thanks

Hold a cup of hot coffee under the T stat. Or you could run the heat until it's 75 or so inside, then switch over quick.

Remember, if you kick the AC on and then off, most T stats have a delay in them, so it won't come on again for a few minutes.

Leave the fan on auto. That way you know the T stat turned it on.

[tuffr2]

The A/C should cycle on when you set the thermostat to a setting colder than the inside of the trailer actually is. It is correct that that you can use the furnace to heat the inside the use the A/C until to cool the trailer. The A/C should kick on with maybe a minute delay.

[wa8yxm]

WIthout knowing a bit more this is not 100% but

Most A/C units (All with remote thermostats) use 12 volt volt for control and 120 volt for operation... They will not come on if the breaker is tripped or .. well read on

They will not turn on if the fuse is blown eiteh (12 volt side) but then I'd not expect the furnace to furn either.

40% is warm enough the safety cut-outs (if any) should not engage (Some A/C's may have low-temp operation preventers, this only affects the compressor though, not the blower should still work in FAN mode)

Next. check to see if they work in FAN ONLY mode (Set fan to ON or HIGH).. this is independent of the T-Stat so the temp won't matter, Still no joy. I'd suspect a power supply side issue. As I said, fuse or breaker (or shore power bad)

How to test fuses
You can get a device called a 12 volt Automotive test lamp.. This is an ice pick with a clear or colored plastic handle, light bulb inside the handle, wire comes out of the handle with a clip on the end

Find a good ground, (you may extend the wire if needed) near the fuse panel and on each blade fuse there are two small windows. top and bottom.. The light shoudl light when touched to the metal tab in teh window... If one end lights and the other does not.. bad fuse (And man is it easy to do 'em that way)


My story: When new.. Sometimes the front A/C. some times the rear, sometimes both or neigher,, worked properly (or did not work at all)

So I started hunting for tribbles.. I opened the main power distribution panel (breaker box).. Least anyone be concerend I'm trained in playing around there.. Well Working around there. So I inow how to do it safely... And in "pokeing around" I noticed some of th wires seemed to not be properly clamped.

ONE SCREW on one breaker took over 2 fill turns before I even felt resistance, and over 3 before I called it tight.. Bad connections abounded in that box, and this was an RV less than six months old.

I tightened every screw in sight.. No more problems (Well , actually both A/C's have since given me problems but they were "old age and wore out" type problems not power side.

I now have two"Newer" Air conditioners. (one less than 3 months old. (They suffered from Carrier Disease.. Bad design flaw, no wonder Carrier is out of that business)

[supertramp]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

WIthout knowing a bit more this is not 100% but

Most A/C units (All with remote thermostats) use 12 volt volt for control and 120 volt for operation... They will not come on if the breaker is tripped or .. well read on

They will not turn on if the fuse is blown eiteh (12 volt side) but then I'd not expect the furnace to furn either.

40% is warm enough the safety cut-outs (if any) should not engage (Some A/C's may have low-temp operation preventers, this only affects the compressor though, not the blower should still work in FAN mode)

Next. check to see if they work in FAN ONLY mode (Set fan to ON or HIGH).. this is independent of the T-Stat so the temp won't matter, Still no joy. I'd suspect a power supply side issue. As I said, fuse or breaker (or shore power bad)

How to test fuses
You can get a device called a 12 volt Automotive test lamp.. This is an ice pick with a clear or colored plastic handle, light bulb inside the handle, wire comes out of the handle with a clip on the end

Find a good ground, (you may extend the wire if needed) near the fuse panel and on each blade fuse there are two small windows. top and bottom.. The light shoudl light when touched to the metal tab in teh window... If one end lights and the other does not.. bad fuse (And man is it easy to do 'em that way)


My story: When new.. Sometimes the front A/C. some times the rear, sometimes both or neigher,, worked properly (or did not work at all)

So I started hunting for tribbles.. I opened the main power distribution panel (breaker box).. Least anyone be concerend I'm trained in playing around there.. Well Working around there. So I inow how to do it safely... And in "pokeing around" I noticed some of th wires seemed to not be properly clamped.

ONE SCREW on one breaker took over 2 fill turns before I even felt resistance, and over 3 before I called it tight.. Bad connections abounded in that box, and this was an RV less than six months old.

I tightened every screw in sight.. No more problems (Well , actually both A/C's have since given me problems but they were "old age and wore out" type problems not power side.

I now have two"Newer" Air conditioners. (one less than 3 months old. (They suffered from Carrier Disease.. Bad design flaw, no wonder Carrier is out of that business)

I tested all the fuss with a Fluke Meter, the thermostats lowest temp is 65° F ( this is why I thought it could be preventing the compressor from starting ) it's 15°colder that the lowest setting, the fan works fine on the furnace and A/C and everything else that uses/needs either 120v or 12v or a combination of both. I think I will put a small propane heater in the room with the thermostat to heat it up then try again if that doesn't work I will have to try to find out if the A/C uses the same fittings my automotive R134a refrigerant Manifold Gages uses or if adapters are avalable so I can test the A/C refrigerant

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by supertramp

I tested all the fuss with a Fluke Meter, the thermostats lowest temp is 65° F ( this is why I thought it could be preventing the compressor from starting ) it's 15°colder that the lowest setting, the fan works fine on the furnace and A/C and everything else that uses/needs either 120v or 12v or a combination of both. I think I will put a small propane heater in the room with the thermostat to heat it up then try again if that doesn't work I will have to try to find out if the A/C uses the same fittings my automotive R134a refrigerant Manifold Gages uses or if adapters are avalable so I can test the A/C refrigerant

You will find that unless it's been serviced before, there will not be any fitting.

It also is probably a R22 system.

[supertramp]

Originally Posted by twinboat

You will find that unless it's been serviced before, there will not be any fitting.

It also is probably a R22 system.

Hmm I thought they banned R22 and R12 in the late 90s?? everything made in the 2000's used either R422 for Residential (replacing R22) or R134A (replacing R12)

The Camper is a 2004

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by supertramp

Hmm I thought they banned R22 and R12 in the late 90s?? everything made in the 2000's used either R422 for Residential (replacing R22) or R134A (replacing R12)

The Camper is a 2004

Your probably right, but then it's most likely R422.

[supertramp]

Anyone know were to buy the refrigerant taps if there are none on the AC unit? I have seen them installed in heat pumps they are a clamp and pierce type, they remind me of the taps used to install residential refrigerators with ice and water it clamps onto a with PVC or copper pipe, it goes around the line and has a small needle that punctures the refrigerant line and has a saddle that clamps around the line. The AC taps are probably stainless steel and should come in pairs a high and low side tap one will be bigger than the other, my auto AC manifold has the quick release type that most cars use today, that got away from the screw on type I think when the R12 systems were banned.

[supertramp]

Originally Posted by twinboat

You will find that unless it's been serviced before, there will not be any fitting.

It also is probably a R22 system.

I could be wrong about the refrigerant type I am finding a lot of posts saying they used R22 up to 2010??? If this is true then they must have gotten a exception to use it later into the phase out of the dichlorodifluromethane (chlorinated HCFC based) refrigerants. From what I see in Wikipedia and other sources the bad stuff was banned from manufacturer mid 90s but you could still buy it with a licence and people started price gouging a 30lb cylinder used to cost about $35 now cost over $600.00 so we'll see when I get the cover off it, it could have been replaced?