Brand new AC repair options....

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 11:35 AM

Just purchased my 2014 SolAir about a month and a half ago. Took it out for the first time this past weekend and no AC working. Here are the details.

Dometic Duotherm 13.5
1. Thermostat was in AUTO
2. Thermostat set to COOL and 75deg
3. I can hear the compressor kicking on
4. No cold air, no cycling, Fan blows high
5. No bad fuses or tripped breaker in panel

Is there any other hidden breaker I should be checking?

Our dealer is almost 4hrs away and wants to keep it for at least a week or 2. We have already paid for reservations and it's going to be hot.

Are there any other options for Forest River or Dometic to send a tech out or have another dealer closer perform the work under warranty? I called Couler RV in Dubuque and they want me to pay to have them fix it and get reimbursed by my dealer or Forest River. Is this normal?

TURBS · 05-27-2014, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeB

Just purchased my 2014 SolAir about a month and a half ago. Took it out for the first time this past weekend and no AC working. Here are the details.

Dometic Duotherm 13.5
1. Thermostat was in AUTO
2. Thermostat set to COOL and 75deg
3. I can here the compressor kicking on
4. No cold air, no cycling, Fan blows high
5. No bad fuses or tripped breaker in panel

Is there any other hidden breaker I should be checking?

Our dealer is almost 4hrs away and wants to keep it for at least a week or 2. We have already paid for reservations and it's going to be hot.

Are there any other options for Forest River or Dometic to send a tech out or have another dealer closer perform the work under warranty? I called Couler RV in Dubuque and they want me to pay to have them fix it and get reimbursed by my dealer or Forest River. Is this normal?

Yes it's normal to pay an outsider for repairs then get reimbursement from forest river later.
Make sure they get authorization FIRST!

TURBS

"Sabre owners united"

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Yes it's normal to pay an outsider for repairs then get reimbursement from forest river later.
Make sure they get authorization FIRST!

TURBS

"Sabre owners united"

Through this dealer i'd have to pay up front. So I should get authorization from Forest River to do the work? or from my dealer? And how difficult is it to get money from FR? Does it take 6mo?

TURBS · 05-27-2014, 12:27 PM

Have the dealer you want to use call forest river and get authorization to work on it first.
Then make sure they call and get authorization on the actual repair.

I've never had to be reimbursed from front so I'm not sure how long it takes.

TURBS

"Sabre owners united"

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Have the dealer you want to use call forest river and get authorization to work on it first.
Then make sure they call and get authorization on the actual repair.

I've never had to be reimbursed from front so I'm not sure how long it takes.

TURBS

"Sabre owners united"

Ya they don't want to do that. Seems pretty much like they want me to have to do all that.

Witch Doctor · 05-27-2014, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeB

Just purchased my 2014 SolAir about a month and a half ago. Took it out for the first time this past weekend and no AC working. Here are the details.

Dometic Duotherm 13.5
1. Thermostat was in AUTO
2. Thermostat set to COOL and 75deg
3. I can hear the compressor kicking on
4. No cold air, no cycling, Fan blows high
5. No bad fuses or tripped breaker in panel

Is there any other hidden breaker I should be checking?

Our dealer is almost 4hrs away and wants to keep it for at least a week or 2. We have already paid for reservations and it's going to be hot.

Are there any other options for Forest River or Dometic to send a tech out or have another dealer closer perform the work under warranty? I called Couler RV in Dubuque and they want me to pay to have them fix it and get reimbursed by my dealer or Forest River. Is this normal?

Okay from what you said only can be 2 things. It's hot in your trailer or your low on freon. If you are low on freon you will soon feel the air being blocked from the coil freezing up. If it is to hot in the trailer lets say 80 degrees the best you will get out of the register is 60 t0 63 degree air until your trailer starts to cool down. If your not feeling cold air by 8:00 PM tonight you have a problem. All you can produce is about 15 to 18 degree difference from the A/C and the temp in the trailer. If the compressor is running and you hear it and getting good air flow you should be alright. When your air flow drops off out of the register. Your low on freon with a frozen coil.

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Okay from what you said only can be 2 things. It's hot in your trailer or your low on freon. If you are low on freon you will soon feel the air being blocked from the coil freezing up. If it is to hot in the trailer lets say 80 degrees the best you will get out of the register is 60 t0 63 degree air until your trailer starts to cool down. If your not feeling cold air by 8:00 PM tonight you have a problem. All you can produce is about 15 to 18 degree difference from the A/C and the temp in the trailer. If the compressor is running and you hear it and getting good air flow you should be alright. When your air flow drops off out of the register. Your low on freon with a frozen coil.

We are home now but I did let it run for quite a few hours (about 6) and it did not get cooler in the TT. It was just blowing the air from outside the unit. Im not sure if the compressor was staying on, but I did hear the moan from it right after the Tstat called for air (right when I turned it on). Like I said....not sure if it stayed on as the fan was blowing full blast and loud.

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Okay from what you said only can be 2 things. It's hot in your trailer or your low on freon. If you are low on freon you will soon feel the air being blocked from the coil freezing up. If it is to hot in the trailer lets say 80 degrees the best you will get out of the register is 60 t0 63 degree air until your trailer starts to cool down. If your not feeling cold air by 8:00 PM tonight you have a problem. All you can produce is about 15 to 18 degree difference from the A/C and the temp in the trailer. If the compressor is running and you hear it and getting good air flow you should be alright. When your air flow drops off out of the register. Your low on freon with a frozen coil.

We also had friends using theirs in their 31' TT a few sights down. Our site was very shaded, their site was wide open to the sun. It was only about 75-80deg outside and their camper cooled off nicely. Ours was 88deg inside.

Witch Doctor · 05-27-2014, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeB

We also had friends using theirs in their 31' TT a few sights down. Our site was very shaded, their site was wide open to the sun. It was only about 75-80deg outside and their camper cooled off nicely. Ours was 88deg inside.

Okay so your compressor was not running. You could have short cycled and the compressor was off on overload. Turn it off for the night let it cool down, it will be hot the compressor. Restart it in the morning, that would give it enough time to reset. If you are still not getting cold air. You will need a service guy. Either low on freon or a bad compressor....Hate to tell you that but those are the options.....Good Luck...Could just be out on internal overload. Do you have power at Home? If you just use the A/C nothing else except your converter it will have enough power to run and see if it will work on 20 amp. If not then call the dealer.

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Okay so your compressor was not running. You could have short cycled and the compressor was off on overload. Turn it off for the night let it cool down, it will be hot the compressor. Restart it in the morning, that would give it enough time to reset. If you are still not getting cold air. You will need a service guy. Either low on freon or a bad compressor....Hate to tell you that but those are the options.....Good Luck...Could just be out on internal overload. Do you have power at Home? If you just use the A/C nothing else except your converter it will have enough power to run and see if it will work on 20 amp. If not then call the dealer.

Thanks gljurczyk for all your help. I can't restart it now that i'm home so I think i'll just make the haul to the stealership and let them sort it out. Odds are it'll work when I get there....that's MY luck.

CLT · 05-27-2014, 03:46 PM

Best of luck to you. At least you are getting to this now vs in the middle of summer. Still sucks I know.

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLT

Best of luck to you. At least you are getting to this now vs in the middle of summer. Still sucks I know.

Ya I know...this is kind of my "middle of the summer" though...DW is prego and delivering in early August so our camping days are numbered.

CLT · 05-27-2014, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeB

Ya I know...this is kind of my "middle of the summer" though...DW is prego and delivering in early August so our camping days are numbered.

Congrats! Yes, there is no worse thing than a hot pregnant wife.

Here's to a speedy repair!

BlakeB · 05-27-2014, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLT

Congrats! Yes, there is no worse thing than a hot pregnant wife.

Here's to a speedy repair!

Thank you! And yes...a pregnant HOT wife isn't always good!

Witch Doctor · 05-27-2014, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeB

Thanks gljurczyk for all your help. I can't restart it now that i'm home so I think i'll just make the haul to the stealership and let them sort it out. Odds are it'll work when I get there....that's MY luck.

Good Luck, By the way I love it the STEALERSHIP Good One.....