A/c problems

[dbaldree]

Got rid of my travel trailer and bought a 1997 coleman westlake.It has a coleman mach ac which worked when i bought it.This weekend on the camping trip i turned it on and it started blowing cold air then quit.The compressor will start and blow cold air then it just stops.Any one out there had this problem?


Thanks

[wavery]

Got rid of my travel trailer and bought a 1997 coleman westlake.It has a coleman mach ac which worked when i bought it.This weekend on the camping trip i turned it on and it started blowing cold air then quit.The compressor will start and blow cold air then it just stops.Any one out there had this problem?


Thanks

Could be the thermostat.....

The compressor cycles and if you have the thermo set too low, it the compressor will shut off (air will still blow) and the time delay will not allow the compressor to "Start" again for about 5 minutes.

Sometimes, people will feel the AC starting to blow warm and they shut it off and turn it back on again, to see if it will work. Every time that someone does that, it will take an additional 5 minutes for the compressor to kick in.

It could be the "Start capacitor". Sometimes they just go bad. I doubt it's that though because you said it blew cold air for a while. However, sometimes the start capacitor can be weak and won't start the compressor at all after it is pressurized.

It could also be a high pressure cut-out switch that is turning the compressor off. If that's what it is, you may be low on freon.

[AustinBoston]

You southern campers are killing me!  A/C already???  I'm still trying to get the chains unstuck from the ICE!  :yikes:

Austin

[wavery]

You southern campers are killing me!  A/C already???  I'm still trying to get the chains unstuck from the ICE!  :yikes:

Austin

Come to Joshua Tree with us :p .....it'll be mid 70's for highs and down in the 40's at night..... :sombraro: The wild flowers will be in full bloom.

[spicyville1]

Most likely it is the starter capacitor. I just had the same thing happen to mine. Cost me $32.00 ay United RV in Ft Worth. I have the large Dometic A/C unit. Just got back from camping at Cleburne State Park and there were times I wished I had the a/c working. I fixed it after I returned though, rest assured!

[magnmike]

I too have the Coleman Mach air conditioner.  This past week we were down in Floriday.  Highs were in the mid to upper 70's (full sunshine).  
On the first day we ran, it didn't seem to be cooling well.  We left it off for that evening.  Next day started back up and ran all the time during the day.
For the most part it kept the camper around 70-72 degrees.  However, based on last year's use it should have cooled it down lower with it running and the outside temp only in 70's.

Does it sound like my issue is freon or one of the parts mentioned above?

[spicyville1]

I too have the Coleman Mach air conditioner.  This past week we were down in Floriday.  Highs were in the mid to upper 70's (full sunshine).  
On the first day we ran, it didn't seem to be cooling well.  We left it off for that evening.  Next day started back up and ran all the time during the day.
For the most part it kept the camper around 70-72 degrees.  However, based on last year's use it should have cooled it down lower with it running and the outside temp only in 70's.

Does it sound like my issue is freon or one of the parts mentioned above?

Sounds  to me the freon is low. If the starter capacitor was out it will not turn on the compressor at all and may have a slight burnt smell coming out of the fresh air vent.

[Recumbentman]

Does it sound like my issue is freon or one of the parts mentioned above?

Lets keep in mind that RV air conditioners are considered a close unit. meaning that they are not rechargeable like a car AC unit. It would be cheaper to buy a new unit then to find someone to splice into the freon line to try to recharge it.
Good Luck  

[wavery]

I too have the Coleman Mach air conditioner.  This past week we were down in Floriday.  Highs were in the mid to upper 70's (full sunshine).  
On the first day we ran, it didn't seem to be cooling well.  We left it off for that evening.  Next day started back up and ran all the time during the day.
For the most part it kept the camper around 70-72 degrees.  However, based on last year's use it should have cooled it down lower with it running and the outside temp only in 70's.

Does it sound like my issue is freon or one of the parts mentioned above?

Magnmike,

It sorta sounds like you may be guessing that your AC is working. It may not be.

The way to check is to stick a thermometer in the cold air outlet. It should read around 40 degrees when the compressor is running. If it reads anywhere between 40 and ambient room temp, it may well be low on freon.

Freon does not "Evaporate". Your AC system is a sealed unit, just like your home refrigerator. If you are low on freon the issue is not merely putting in more freon. The issue is putting in a small amount of freon, finding the leak (that caused your freon to escape), repairing the leak then filling the unit.

This should and can be done by any refrigeration shop. They would have to cut the line going from the compressor to the condensor, solder in a fitting, vacuum the air out of the system with a vacuum pump and install a small amount of freon for testing. He would then take his digital leak detector, find the leak and (Hopefully) repair it. In some cases, it is easily repairable. In some cases, it could be a major repair and not worth the parts and labor.

It will probably cost you about $100-$150 to diagnose the leak. Then the repair could be as little as $50 or as high as $500 (beyond the $150 for diagnosis). It's a crap shoot.

[magnmike]

I'll try the thermometer test first as wavery suggested.  I called the local dealer this morning and he also suggested making sure the filters were clean.  I did clean them last year, but guess I can try that again as a simple test.  Should the filters get that dirty so quickly and cause it not to cool?

BTW, what should a new unit run if it ended up being the freon?  He said he wouldn't touch the freon at the dealer.  Get's mighty hot here during the summer and I'm trying to get prepared.  I'd hate to spend $150 for a diagnosis and then find out it costs a lot more to fix versus new unit.
This unit is 8 years old.