AC quit

pondlady · 06-19-2010, 04:16 PM

Earlier today my AC in my 28bh greywolf was working fine. I took a break. We had a thunderstorm. The AC now does not work. The shore power is working fine. The outlets test OK. The overhead lights are working. The fridge is making a hissing sound, but seems to be working. The hissing sound is new.

What to do? Can't be in the TT without AC in Louisiana 95+ heat.

**Herk7769** · 06-19-2010, 06:03 PM

Other than check breakers I am at a loss.

As to the fridge, where might the hissing be coming from?
Do you smell propane?

pondlady · 06-19-2010, 06:16 PM

No, no propane smell. Whew!
Here's what I have done so far. I removed the shore power, hooked it up to a 20 amp outlet with an extension cord and an adaptor. I figured if the AC tripped the breaker, I would know the AC was OK, but the 30 amp outlet was bad. That didn't work. The AC did not go on. I wanna try that once more time when it's not raining and I am not surly and tired.
As things are now, I have no shore power hooked up at all and am letting the battery drain. I will try the 20 amp thing again tomorrow. And an HVAC friend lives down the street. He installed a new system in our house. Maybe he knows something about TT AC. Can't hurt to call him. Oh, and he has a 5th wheel in his driveway. That should count for something.
The fridge has stopped hissing and is turned off completely until all systems are up and running again. I feel as if our big thunderboomer storm has something to do with this. It worked before the storm and not after. Coincidence? Could be.
Jan, frustrated and hotter than hell, but in my recliner in the house with the AC set at icicle temps.

PumaPro · 06-19-2010, 09:12 PM

Check the fuse for the thermostat. If no power to thermostat, no climate control. As for the fridge "hissing," that may just be the nature of the beast. You mentioned thunderstorm in 95 degree heat. Add to that the 100% humidity from the rain. When you open your refrigerator or freezer door, the humidity mixes with the cold dry air inside the refer/freezer (especially the freezer because it's coler). The air cools - fast. The air pressure drops greatly inside the freezer/refer, literally sucking the door shut. The hissing you hear is the air leaking past the seal to equalize the pressures inside & outside the refer/freezer. It can sometimes be so strong that you physically can't open the freezer/refer doors for a few minutes.
Hope this helps.

pondlady · 06-19-2010, 09:20 PM

Where is the fuse to the thermostat? For that matter, where is any fuse? The whole mess sounds like it's a power problem. I am trying to troubleshoot the source.

Thanks re the fridge. I think you nailed it.

PumaPro · 06-19-2010, 09:27 PM

There should be a brown or black panel somewhere at floor level somewhere in the coach. It will open up to reveal the fuses/breakers. If you haven't checked already, the breaker for the air cond could be tripped. To reset, turn all the way off & turn back on. Many Dometic air conditioners don't have a time delay like Coleman that will not allow the cooling unit to cylce at less than 10 minutes. This will sometimes cause the breaker for the air cond to trip if it tries to start back up right after shutting down. The fuse will be right in the same area as the breaker. Good luck!

pondlady · 06-19-2010, 09:40 PM

Thanks much. I have looked for fuses and am not sure what they look like even. I have a panel on the outside that has some strange looking things in it. Maybe they are fuses. Or breakers. I will check again in the morning. I am hoping it will fix itself overnight <G>.

milzat · 06-19-2010, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pondlady

Where is the fuse to the thermostat? For that matter, where is any fuse? The whole mess sounds like it's a power problem. I am trying to troubleshoot the source.

Thanks re the fridge. I think you nailed it.

The Breakers are located behind the Converter Box Cover. The cover will drop down for access

On the left side are the 110 Volt AC(Alternating Current) Breakers. These Breakers will TRIP if there's a problem with a 110 volt circuit.

On the right side are the 12 volt DC(Direct Current) fuses. These Fuses will BLOW when there's a problem with a 12 volt circuit.

The Fuse labeled A/C is the Air Conditioner Thermostat Fuse.

NWJeeper · 06-19-2010, 11:23 PM

To be a little more accurate about what Mike has listed above, there is no fuse or breaker for the thermostat itself. The thermostat is merely a switch that is wired to the control board of either the AC, furnace or in some cases controls both. More accurately the fuse or breaker is for the appliance in question, not the thermostat. You will never see a fuse or breaker labled "thermostat" you are looking for "air conditioner" or "Furnace" when looking for the fuse or breakers

pondlady · 06-20-2010, 05:32 AM

Thanks so much. Now I gotta find the 'converter box cover.' I'm assuming it's outside. There is a small panel with electrical stuff under it, but nothing looked like a fuse/breaker. I will have another look when it gets light out.

**Herk7769** · 06-20-2010, 06:23 AM

Brown plastic looking box.

The door has a "push to open" style latch.

Press the top enter and its hould pop open.

pma3 · 06-20-2010, 06:29 AM

The converter box is usually inside the coach. Ours is on the floor under the refrig. On our old class c (circ 1988) it was inside just above the floor on the platform that the bed sat on.

milzat · 06-20-2010, 06:36 AM

The Converter(Power Distribution Panel) will look something like this. It's located inside the trailer. Most of the times it's installed in the kitchen area.

pondlady · 06-20-2010, 06:38 AM

I found it! I opened it. Yup, it was the converter box and a 20amp breaker marked AC was tripped. I tripped it back and it will not stay there. I am fearing a short somewhere in the wiring. The AC does make a clicking sound if I turn it on, so it's trying <G>.
Who do I call? My electrician? The HVAC guy down the street?

milzat · 06-20-2010, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pondlady

Who do I call? My electrician? The HVAC guy down the street?

Dealer/Service Centers by City

pondlady · 06-20-2010, 06:53 AM

Thanks so much, Mike and all. I will be on the phone in the morning.
This should not be happening. The trailer was used for 2 weeks and then sat for a year. Now it's sitting again, but in our driveway, not the seller's.

milzat · 06-20-2010, 06:54 AM

Also try these.

pondlady · 06-20-2010, 06:59 AM

Thanks so much, Mike. I am hoping somebody will make a service call here. I will try the first folks and keep my fingers crossed. The listings are all residential, so maybe one of them is hungry enough to come over here.

rockwood06 · 06-20-2010, 08:14 AM

If there are no breakers tripped, you may need to remove the cover to the a/c unit and inspect it, there may be a good chance that the capacitor is bad do to the storm. With this typy of capacitor it will burn and when this happens the PC board that it is connect to has to be replaced. I have a pic of what it looks like on my work computer and I can post it on Monday. It is posted here on the forum but I can't find it.

pondlady · 06-20-2010, 08:20 AM

Rockwood, thanks.
The breaker is indeed tripped and stays that way. It just flops around. I will call a repair person tomorrow.
I appreciate all the great help here.

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