problems with rooftop ac

[rfarmer67]

looking for an ac guru who might have an answer for this.
I have a 2000 coleman seapine with a carrier air v on it .
The ac unit leaks water back into the camper when running.
The unit drains water at the back and all draains are free.
The water seems to be coming from the front evaporator coils .
when the ceiling unit is removed i can see water coming off the coils against the flow of air and collecting on the housing and dripping down into the ceiling unit. anyone car to take a stab at it .
the unit does not freeze up and fubctions great except for the water leak .
     Thanks Rob

[wavery]

You really shouldn't be able to see much if any condensation on the coils themselves if the unit is working properly. The fact that enough water is collecting to overflow the pan tells me that the coils may not be getting cold enough. Also, the unit must be fairly level.

Check to be sure that your coils are clean and there are no air flow obstructions (dirty air filter).

If you have an AC thermometer (available at most auto parts stores for under $5) run your unit with the thermostat turned to maximum cool and the fan on low for about 10-15 minutes (the outside temp should be below 80). Then put the thermometer in the cold air duct. You should have a temp between 40-45 degrees and certainly below 50. If It's higher than that, you may have a freon leak.

[rfarmer67]

Wavery ,
Unit is level , all drains are clear and draining , Unit is 1.5 years old and only used 3 times and has been a reoccuring problem . coils look clean and ac is stored with a cover over it . filters are also clean . with the ceiling unit removed i acctualy see water being blown forward off the evaporator coils and run down the case . unit blows very cold air .
                  Thanks Rob

[wavery]

Maybe this will help:
http://www.inspect-ny.com/aircond/ACCoilFrost.htm

Until you try the thermometer test, you really won't know anything. The fact that it seems to be blowing "Cold" just isn't enough information.

The fact that the unit is only 1.5 years old means nothing. The fact that it has been a reoccurring problem tells me that they may not have put in enough freon at the factory. When you run into these types of issues on a fairly new unit, the time to address them is while it is still in warranty. This may be a very expensive repair.

[rfarmer67]

Thanks , i will check it with a thermometer tomorrow . Still I cant figure out why water would be blowing off the evaporator against the airflow .

[wavery]

Thanks , i will check it with a thermometer tomorrow . Still I cant figure out why water would be blowing off the evaporator against the airflow .

Just one other thought. Some of these AC units have a slinger that throws the water from the sump onto the condenser to aid in condenser cooling. You might want to look over your manual to see if your AC has this feature. If it does, maybe the slinger is simply slinging water the wrong direction.

Also check to see if the condenser fan is blowing out and not in.........that would be weird.....

[tlhdoc]

The Carrier Air V does have the slinger wheel.  As far as I know it is the only RV air conditioner that has it.  I would make sure that the bolts holding the outer unit to the roof are tight.  I have known several people that have had water leaking into the camper, because the bolts were not tight enough.  The water that is deposited on the out side of the AC unit runs inside around the gasket.  Some people have had to insulate part of the inside of the AC unit.  The warm humid air being drawn into the unit hits the cold metal of the inner workings and condensation forms.  Good luck with eliminating the problem.

[coach]

The water seems to be coming from the front evaporator coils .
when the ceiling unit is removed i can see water coming off the coils against the flow of air and collecting on the housing and dripping down into the ceiling unit. anyone car to take a stab at it .
     Thanks Rob

Rob, is this in a very humid environment?
The water from the evap coil is supposed to gather and run down into the pan and out the back.

If the evap condensation is being flung around by the fan, you've got a hell of a fan or lots of water.

A 15 degree F drop or greater between intake and discharge air is desired, less is cause for concern.

Close the windows and stop opening the door or camp in a less humid environment!!!

The slinger wheel (on the tip of the condendsor fan) brings water that condensed on the evap from the pan to the top where the condensor fan blows it into the condensor coil. The air flow from the fan evaporates the water (absorbs heat).

[rfarmer67]

Thanks to all for the responses. The day it was tested was not particularly humid , the door was open to allow ac to run while checking . The problem right now is that water (condensation) is actually blowing off the evaporator in the opposite direction of the air flow . air is sucked up thru the evaporator towards the back of the ac unit . the water (condensation) is being blown forward and dripping down . (go figure) the unit does drain well and is not leaking by the pan gasket . ( just changed that prior to testing ) . The only water coming in can be seen blowing forward off the evaporator hitting the case and dripping down . slinger wheel is in the rear of unit and not a factor as the evaporator case is sealed .

[coach]

Roof Air Conditioner Water Leaks - dirty evap!

[oreo57]

Is this the standard or low profile unit ?

[rfarmer67]

standard unit
as it stands now I've cleaned the coils ( not really dirty ), output air temp is fine . Air temp outside was low 60's today so i realy couldnt check it . I did get it to run  for a bit today on a straight extension cord 20 amp ( not plugged into the camper ) and i didnt notice any condensation  . Perhaps low power is to blame ?   i did notice some lag and slowing when the compressor first starts up.