AC doesn't cool

[jornvango]

We full-time in our RV and typically boondock (solar). In 2022, I estimate we stayed in an RV park perhaps for up to two months. All of this to say that we don't use our AC much, since we don't have enough battery capacity to run it while boondocking.

So, during our latest stay in an RV park, it was into the 80s in south Texas and I turned on the AC. It clicked on and it sounded like the AC compressor came on but the air coming out of the unit wasn't particularly cold.

It's a 2009 RV with a rooftop AC unit. Any maintenance / troubleshooting tips to try? Do these have freon that I can check / add if needed?

Thanks!

Jorn

[wa8yxm]

groundhogy wrote:
I had a low profile coleman and it got low on coolant.
There are no refill ports on these cheapies, so you have to add your own. Its a clamp on with a piercing screw. (I had to clean and reinstall gaskets before using due to slopp

I see you already covered what I was going to say in much more professional language but I was going to say: "There are too refill ports.. they are at the proper type of Hardware store".

OF course you described them.. I'v not seen them in hardware stores for a long long time but I once had to install one on a piece of gear.. Worked well did the job and the hardware worked much better after.

Other things can cause a lack of cooling as well those need to be checked before money is thrown.

[groundhogy]

I had a low profile coleman and it got low on coolant.
There are no refill ports on these cheapies, so you have to add your own. Its a clamp on with a piercing screw. (I had to clean and reinstall gaskets before using due to sloppy glue and build).

Borrowed a buddys charge equipment and successfully topped it up.

Lasted a couple seasons til a hole burst in a pipe and lost all coolant.

Those coleman low profiles, at least mine, the compressor vibrated quite a bit, fortelling of the future pipe burst.

[wa8yxm]

Yup. another thing that can affect cooling is the condenser... Many times they need to be cleaned... I will describe the process for coleman (and all others).

Remove the top cover 4 screws on a Coleman. (Around a dozen on most others).
Set aside.. on a coleman peal off the crud brush off what's left. and replace the cover.. Done. (on all others) remove the inner cover over the condenser (This may be a major job or just a few screws).. You may need to remove the fan (or not depending on too many things) then you peal and brush..

WHile you have the cover off clean everythign else that needs cleaning and as Dougrainer suggested.. Clamp on ammeter the compressor leads

[dougrainer]

The ONLY way to check freon charge is by the amp reading of the compressor. Go on top and see if the compressor is running(humming). If not, then find the problem,Wiring or capacitors. Doug