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AC Acting Up!

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richardd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: AC Acting Up!
    Posted: 03 May 2022 at 3:10pm
It kicked on and ran for awhile and brought the temp down from 91 to 70.I thought it was working. But now it won't do anything. Just an occasional short humming.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2022 at 4:12pm
I found a new unit I'm thinking about replacing it. The reviews say it is easy, plug and play, quiter, lighter, and one said takes a half hour. Anybody done a replacement? I don't know if it will fit the existing hole. How can I know for sure? This is it, $718...
https://www.rvpartscountry.com/dometic-13500-top-unit-only-a-c.html
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2022 at 5:14pm
Just watched another video and this guy had to hand start his fan like me. He replaced the "fan" capacitor and the fan and compressor started right up. I replaced the "start" capacitor, but didn't cure that problem. How many capacitors are on it? I only saw 2. The other one, what I'm calling the "run" capacitor has a bunch of connections. Maybe it's bad. I don't know how to check it. That's the capacitor I think they said was unavailable.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2022 at 4:32pm
Update for my continuing saga: Dometic has a toll free number. They cross referenced the capacitor part number and gave me the updated new number. All the places I looked were out of stock. Except Ebay. And they were the cheapest. Will get it in less than a week. Camping world wanted twice the money, and maybe I would get it in 2 months, maybe not. South Carolina's heat and humidity won't wait for that. The ac is blowing cold air, it just takes assistance to get the fan going. The ac only has two capacitors. I replaced the "start" capacitor thinking that would do it. Not starting, right? Wrong. Then I watched a video about house ac's. I'm getting an education. House and RV ac's are similar. He started the fan by hand. Then showed how to discharge the other capaciter, called the "run" or "duel" capaciter and replace it. It's the one with 3 prongs, one is compressor, one is fan, the other "common". Apparently, these have a tendency to go bad. DO NOT do this your self unless you know what you're doing, a capacitor that is not discharged can hold a lethal zap. It started right up. I'm not saying it's going to fix mine, we'll see. Stay tuned.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2022 at 6:53am
I am told the new run capacitor I am about to install is a hard start capacitor. I am using it because it is the same as what it came with. I just want it to work. I will consider a soft start capacitor either in my next rig, or next ac.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2022 at 2:53pm
After watching numerous videos, I'm still baffled about AC's. I'm still trying to get some helpful clarification. Maybe I'm not being clear, or making this harder than it should be. I turn the ac on from the thermostat. There is a humming. I'm guessing this is the compressor but maybe somebody knows and can tell me. Then, I kick-start the fan with my hand by reaching up and giving the squirrelcage a spin counter-clockwise. It starts running and blowing cold air. It cools the camper down. Then it starts blowing cooler air more slowly, makes an increasingly louder noise and cuts off. Then as it starts to warm up, I repeat this. I have seen on Youtube this is likely a bad start capacitor. The AC has two capacitors. I replaced the smaller black one I'm told is the start capacitor. It says start capacitor right on it. But it's acting the same. The fan is not starting. I've ordered the other capacitor I'm calling the run capacitor, or 3-pronged duel capacitor, and will have it replaced next week. It has three prongs, and two are labeled fan and compressor. I'm hoping that will fix the problem. Maybe the two capacitors work together, and the three prong duel capacitor is responsible for helping starting AND running. But I'm just guessing. I don't have a clue. That's why I'm here, to see if anybody does have a clue. Guess that's why AC techs get the big bucks. Or maybe they don't know either, and are just winging it. Again, has anybody ever confronted this problem? If so, PLEASE dispel the mystery. Summer is knocking on the door!

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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2022 at 3:55pm
Update...right now I'm enjoying a working AC. I had both capacitors replaced. And the AC cleaned. The coils were cleaned. The Evaporator coil has a freeze sensor stuck in it. The AC has been cutting off and the thermostat was flashing between the 72 temp and the e5 code. I could see and reach it from inside, so I pulled it out, cleaned it and replaced it. It did it again so I reinserted it again. So far it's running good, I'll keep an eye on it, and if it continues to happen, I'll order a new freeze sensor since it's cheap and easy to change out. All of this was cheap compared to a new unit.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote richardd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2022 at 8:29am
Another update...So far it seems to be working as it should. Maybe cleaning it and replacing the two capacitors did the trick. Will know more when the brutal South Carolina summer comes. We just had 97 and it's not even here yet. Thanks for hanging with me everybody...
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2022 at 9:30am
Thanks for posting your saga. I'm sure it will be helpful for anyone encountering the problem in the future. Would you post the part numbers so that it will be easier for someone to find them? That would be very helpful.
StephenH
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Post Options Post Options   Quote SC for Huskers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2022 at 10:11am
Also glad you got it running.
Happy Traveling,
Tom
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