A/C having problem

[Thurman]

New Coachmen Freedom Express unit 3310 BHDS, 2015 model purchased in January. We have used this unit three (3) times since purchasing and it was not what we call hot here in S. Ga.- -yet. Now it is hot. The last five (5) days the temps have been 92+ degrees here. The last two (2) days I have been adding two (2) drawers to the lower kitchen cabinets and have had the A/C running, set on 80 degrees (why won't my degree sign thingy work?). This is a 13,500 BTU unit. BUT-the best I can get the interior of the TT is down to 90 degrees and it's parked under two big shade trees. The bunk slide is in, the kitchen/dining slide is out, and the air from the A/C is coming out of the "open" register somewhat in the middle of the TT, not the ducted register(s). It's now 9:07 p.m. and I just went out to turn off the lights in the TT which I had forgotten. The outside temp is 88 degrees, the thermostat in the TT is set on 80 degrees and it is 84 degrees in the TT. IF my memory serves me correctly, when I worked industrial maintenance we would be looking at a discharge air temp from our registers in the plant to be 52 degrees. Granted we were using chillers and not conventional package units on the roof. I just checked my house and I'm getting 52 degrees from a package unit and measured at the farthermost register from the unit. What, if anything, should I be looking for, or what can I do to make this TT system work better? Thanks, David

[mud yapster]

You should have close to a 20 deg. Split from the return air temp and the supply air temp with the fan on high. If not there's a problem with it. Is it a Dometic? They are assembled in China and a lot have been shipped under charged with Freon. My 13.5k a/c was one of them. Call Dometic they will warranty it. I fixed my own but I'm a a/c man.

[Thurman]

Thanks "mud yapster". I will be back out there tomorrow and will check those temps. I will also pull the papers on the A/C to find out IF it is a Dometic. I'm thinking I will call the dealer's service department and ask them about the Dometic problem. I will also call Dometic about this. I probably need to climb up there and see if I can find a serial number also. It was 100 degrees here today at 4 p.m. with a heat index of 104. I was replacing the wood trim around a 5 x7 picture window on a house and I knew it was hot. I did pace myself to keep the bear off of my back. I did finish the job without a heat problem.

[Thurman]

I had a chance to do some testing today: The air entering the A/C unit was 84 degrees and the air coming out of the unit was 81 degrees. This was with the register on the unit open. I closed this register so the cool air would come out of the ceiling registers, allowed this to run for about an hour then tested again. I actually got the same readings: 84 going into the A/C unit and 84 coming out of each/all the registers. I called the selling dealer and talked to one of their tech people. He told me that IF I was getting something like a 9 degree or 10 degree difference between the incoming and outgoing air then that would be a good reading. I think I would rather have the 20 degree differential. I'm going to drop the faceplate/air distributor from inside the TT and look to see if there may be a place where the incoming and outgoing air may be crossing over. My only other option will be to hook up the unit and take it to the selling dealer which is about 90 miles away. Hmm, just had a though: I just may go out there about 3 o'clock in the morning and check the registers again.

[Toddupton]

At those temps it would s not just leaking by. Is the compressor running or just the fan? Is the unit froze up from running non-stop? Is the condenser coil on the roof clean and not covered in a sheet of fur or cottonwood?

[Thurman]

To "Toddupton": The compressor is running, the fan is running. You can hear the compressor cycling off/on about every twenty minutes or so. I did go up on the roof and looked at the coils after dark and using a flashlight. The coils are very clean. I bought this unit new late January. We have used it three times now. The first outing the temps were low enough that we don't remember having to run the A/C. The other two times we did notice the inside of the TT rather warm but we blamed the hot weather and no shade. Now--The selling dealer tells me that if I bring it back up to them that it will be six (6) to eight (8) weeks before they can even look at the problem. They take units in based on "which unit on the lot is next"? A call to Dometic and they tell me that there are two (2) factory authorized service centers here in my town (Albany, Ga.) and they gave me the names and phone numbers. The first place I called is the only RV sales place around here for seventy-five (75) miles. They don't sell Cherokee but Dometic says they are an authorized service center for Dometic products. A call to them and they state that IF they did not sell the TT or the A/C unit they don't work on them. When I asked about them being a Dometic service center they agreed that they are but they don't work on units sold by someone else. The other place is just a repair/service center for different brands. The man who answered stated that they are a Dometic authorized service center and will/can work on my unit but--he has no room for another unit at his business and it will probably be about a month before he has room for mine. He took my name/number and told he he would put a post-em note on his 'puter screen to remind him to call me when the next units pulls out. He states the 20 degree differential also and says if mine is 8-9 degrees then most likely the unit is low on freon. Being a new unit under warranty he can replace the unit under warranty. Once he confirms the temp differentials and does an inspection for warranty purposes he can order the new A/C unit which should take 3-4 days to arrive then one day to replace the unit. But who knows how long it will take him to finish a unit and have room for mine. The next closest place for this work is seventy-five miles away and when I called them they also are full and cannot even look at it for a month--maybe. It sounds as if I am in the wrong business

[Toddupton]

I would call domestic and let them know their authorized service center will not work on it. Then have domestic call another place for you and make arrangement to have the unit taken in. It is domestics problem now and if there service centers will not look at it then domestic needs to find someone who will.

[Thurman]

This is what I was on the phone for two (2) hours for today. The lady at Dometic, who was very nice, told me that "our authorized service centers cannot refuse to do warranty work on our units" meaning the A/C unit. I called the local RV sales/service/repair center again today, I asked for and got someone who stated they were the owner. He told me: "Dometic does not tell me how to run my business. I don't have to work on anything that I don't want to work on. I only work on A/C units that were attached to an RV we sold or an A/C unit we sold through our parts department". Now--do you wonder why this place has such a terrible reputation around here? The Dometic lady did give me three other centers but they were the one's I described in my other post. I guess at this point I will have to either wait for the local factory center to call me or take it to one of the other service centers. I may just wind up taking it back to the selling dealer as we have a non-camper vacation planned to leave out on the 9th. for nine days. At least IF they get it fixed before we return they will hold it for me at their site. The local guy told me that he doesn't have room to hold it IF he gets it finished before we return. Isn't owning a camper fun?

[jtstromsburg]

If it were me, if bite the bullet, call a regular hvac tech and see what they'd charge to take a look and test freon pressure? If rather spend a couple hundred bucks than waste time waiting on a supposed service center. Maybe you have a friend that could help?

[mikel68]

Compressor cycling off and on every twenty minutes and still staying from 85-90 inside = problem. Compressor should not be short cycling. I'd get someone to check the freon and capacitor. Stay one them.

[mud yapster]

They are assembled in China what does that tell you. It was under charged at the China factory. Mine was also but I'm an A/C guy so I fixed it right away for DW. Still working perfect after a month. Sorry to hear your unit is like my new one was. Assembled in China!!!!

[D-maxx dave]

Just my story;!
2015 model, July 4th trip 2014, rear ac did same thing yours did.
Stayed outside most of trip, it was hot!!!
Dealer replaced ac, week later, good to go!!!!
Fast forward: ac working fine @ home, set up at same park 7-1-15. No rear air!!! It's hot. Service man came out, best he can do is next wknd, déjà Vu!!!!!
He also said compressor is built overseas, then assembled stateside.
He's actually installed two that didn't work out of the box!
More cold refreshments will be enjoyed this wknd !!!!!
Happy Independence Day everyone!!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Evereddie]

From the information I have read on this forum, some of these air conditioning units don't have fittings for checking and adding freon. That would make it hard for a general service tech to provide help. That's why replacement, hopefully under warranty, is the option.

The bigger picture is the real lack of caring on the part of dealers and manufacturers to solve deficiencies on our units. If a repair division at a dealer always runs 6 to 8 weeks behind the economics of it says add more capabilities to the system. Not rocket science. I believe someday a smart businessman will figure this out and make a killing providing timely and good service.

[Thurman]

The A/C units on RV's do not come with service ports, unlike home A/C units and auto A/C units. The freon pressures on these RV units cannot be checked by just attaching gauges to them. I know, some will tell you that you can add a "tap valve" to these RV units but those valves have a standing history of leaking. My selling dealers policy is that you bring your RV in and they will put it "in line" for repair. IF that first unit has major problems then all the other units will have to wait their turn for repairs. Yes, this is where more capabilities (manpower) would have to be put into place. I called to local guy today (Fri) to ask about his status and he informed me that he still has no room for my unit and next week isn't looking so good. I'm thinking it's time to just take it up to the selling dealer and wait for them to do it.

[Thurman]

Update: The local guy called today (Tue) and asked if I could get some numbers off of the A/C unit and an amperage draw while the unit is running. He then would call Dometic about getting them to send a replacement unit. Easy enough. I had to get the essential numbers such as serial #, model #, unit BTU, and there was actually an SKU # on the tag. I then had to get the differential temp (known as Delta temp) which was 94 degrees incoming air and 88 degrees discharge air, so a 4 degree Delta. The interior temp of the unit was 96 degrees at this time. These temps were taken with an electronic thermometer, which is accurate. The amp draw was 12.4 amps while running. He didn't request a starting amp draw but I measured this and it was 15.6 amps. These were good readings according to him. I actually typed all of this info down and drove over to his shop to hand it to him. When I met him I recognized him as a friend of a good friend of mine. That seemed to help as we talked about our mutual friend and the friends wife. Steve sat right down and called Dometic to start the warranty request. The Dometic person asked for the info (the same as the service guy asked for) and stated that she had put this into their (Dometic's?) computer and he should have his answer tomorrow (Wed.). Steve asked why he could not get the request done now as this is how this exact situation had been handled for him prior to today. Ready for this one?: The Dometic lady told him that due to a large number of requests for replacement A/C units in the last few months that it is taking more time to review each one. Sounds like a problem to me. So-I'm back to waiting now but I feel better knowing that something is in the works to get my A/C unit replaced and it sounds as if I will not have to wait six to eight weeks for another RV service center to loo at the problem. And again- -why doesn't Dometic stand up and admit that there could probably be a problem with some of their A/C units? Maybe, just maybe something nice will happen to me- -soon.

[Evereddie]

Sounds like things are moving anyway, so good luck. BTW, your delta temp is 6 degrees, not 4. Still way too low so doubt that will make any difference as far as qualifying for a replacement.

[Thurman]

Whoooopeee! Steve called this A.M. to tell me that the new A/C unit had come in. He wants the unit first thing Thursday morning and told me that he should/might have it ready to go by Thursday afternoon. Maybe, just maybe- - - -

[Flybob]

Does Steve have a brother in Maryland? Sounds like a great resource.

[80gator]

Well, here is our story from last week with a Dometic AC unit. We have a new Salem Hemishere 263RL and have been out in it 20 days since we took possession in April. We are in Florida and need the AC? Have a single 15,000 btu unit. A week ago Sunday starting out on our 8 night trip the unit did not appear to be cooling line it been on previous trips. Went to the springs for the day and back to the unit and it was not cool at all. Checked the split and it was about 4 degrees. Knew we had a problem. No internet or phone connection to check for possible locations to get fixed until Monday morning. Just had to have air for the next week as we were to two different beach state parks in Florida and to Gulfport Mississippi (hot).
Left the springs and my wife googled for RV repair. Called one local place in Trenton Florida, Dan Joyce Mobile RV Repair. Said to bring it to his shop if we were driving out of the park. 20 minutes later pulled into a very rural pole barn set up where he had several units he was working on. Took amp readings and said it needed to be replaced. LUCKY us.......he is Dometic warranty rep. Took serial numbers, called and they approved replacement and he just happened to have a 15,000 unit on hand. Replace under warranty and were on our way in 1 hour.....! Needless to say I tipped him well. Rest of the trip went very well in hot weather with cold AC...thanks to Dan.

Cannot imagine how we could have survived without it.

[Thurman]

Glad to know that you had some good luck "80gator". As I had stated on post #17 I took my camper to Steve about 8 A.M. Thursday. As I was unhooking it he told me to come back about 2:00 and get it. I had to question him on this but he told me that he had two guys he was going to put on this right now and they should be finished within an hour and a half. He wanted to let the unit run for a while before I picked it up. Sure enough I went back at 2:00 and it was ready. I was nice and cold inside so I was happy. All I had to do was sign a paper authorizing Dometic to pay his business and he was happy. I suppose I could say everyone was happy, happy. It's sitting in my back yard now and cooling very well. Case closed on this one.