AC question

deerslayer · 05-28-2010, 05:59 AM

I have a had a few problems with the 267sr duo-therm ac unit since we purchased out camper. Got it running right now and then the t-stat quit working. You could crank the t-stat up to 90 and it the ac wouldnt shut off. Just had a friend replace the t-stat for me with a new one, only problem is I dont think I have ebough electric to kick the ac on. I am the camper hooked up to a normal out just to charge the battery and get the fridge to cool down for the weekend. Basicly I have the 30amp cord reduced to my 15amp cord with a reducer and plugged into an outlet in my garage. AC tries to kick on but doesnt, I am thinking because of the the lack of amperage. Am I thinking correctly? I didnt try it more than once or twice for fear of burning something up if I didnt have the proper electric supply. Will be at the campground tonight by hopefully 630 so I guess I will find out for sure but just wanted someone else's opinion since this will be on my mind all dang day!

henryj · 05-28-2010, 06:55 AM

Technically you don't need 30 amp to run the AC, but you do need at least 20. A typical home receptacle at 15 just isn't enough. Even camping with 30 amps you can push the AC by running another big appliance like the microwave at the same time. Remember too, there is a much bigger draw on startup for any electric motor than there is to keep it running.

I'm not an electrical guru, just the first guy to read your post so you may get a better answer later.

Henry

henryj · 05-28-2010, 07:03 AM

I leave this voltmeter plugged in above the kitchen counter to help me stay out of low voltage situations. Some campgrounds also are much worse than others so this is a worthwhile low cost tool.

Henry

deerslayer · 05-28-2010, 08:48 AM

Thanks, I had an issue at one campground two years ago where the ac compressor couldnt kick on, just clicked. I called my dealer, they looked at it and couldnt find anything wrong, next time I went camping it kicked right on no problems. Only thing I can figure is a voltage problem

Honda03842 · 05-28-2010, 10:34 AM

We run our AC for our Motorhome occasionally during the summer on a regular dedicated AC line. This seems to be adequate.

We do not use your basic home extension cord to reach our rig. We do use our regular 30 amp cable, with 15 amp adapter so the voltage drop to the motorhome is limited.

Most home circuits will take the startup surge current before the breaker will blow. Once it's running the current drops significantly. For us the critical part is a dedicated line and a good, low drop cord to the receptacle.

Of course the comment about multiple power hogs running simultaneously is an issue and campground voltage is more of an issue - some campgrounds are truly bad and get worse when every runs their air.

**JohnB** · 05-28-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerslayer

I am the camper hooked up to a normal out just to charge the battery and get the fridge to cool down for the weekend. Basicly I have the 30amp cord reduced to my 15amp cord with a reducer and plugged into an outlet in my garage. AC tries to kick on but doesnt, I am thinking because of the the lack of amperage. Am I thinking correctly?

You are correct, it is not going to start. If the fridge is on electric and you are doing a good deal of battery charging those 2 can consume close to 10 amps of the 15 you had to start with.

The AC unit upon startup can have an inrush of 37 plus amps and then drop down to 12 to 13 amps steady running load pending how dirty the AC unit is. See here for more

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...html#post79542

In the campground it get's more complex. While you have more amps available the CG can have issues with everyone’s AC units on at once pending what wiring and paoer they have installed. If the voltage drops a fair amount then the amps needed go up.

The AC unit drawing 12 amps of your 30, the fridge drawing 3 amps, the convertor overhead drawing ~ 3 to 4 amps, the electric HW heater drawing 11 amps or so and your over if the water pump kicks in and drives the converter up.

When running the AC, put the HW heater on LP or turn it off. If you still have issues, put the fridge on LP. Forget the microwave all together….

It does not take much to run out of amps in a 30 amp setting trying to run like a normal house… Remember we are camping and this is a glorified palace we camp in over the tent…

Have a good camping weekend.

John

deerslayer · 05-28-2010, 11:36 AM

The way I have it hooked up right now is a heavy guage(not sure what actual guage) black extension cord for camping, connected to my normal camper electric cord, it is connect using a adapter down to the heavy extension cord, that is plugged into a 110 outlet in my workshop. I have a fridge running in there and a couple other things, and I didnt have anything else on in the camper. Guess I will know for sure this afternoon when I hit the campground, will be the first thing I do once I get set up (besides my frosty beverage!) So fot know I will just wait and hope for the best

Gene · 05-28-2010, 09:20 PM

I have a 20 amp GFI outlet outside fed with #10 wire and I use an extension cord with #10 wire and the AC will start ok. I tried it once using a so called "heavy duty" #14 extension cord and the AC would not start, too much voltage drop.

That voltmeter posted by henryj is a good idea. No doubt you will see the voltage sag when the AC tries to start.

deerslayer · 06-01-2010, 07:23 AM

Well no go on my AC this weekend. Compressor kicks on but the fan does not. Luckily it was not very hot this weekend and were able to open the windows and turn on our fantastic fan and stayed pretty cool. Talked to my friend who is supposed to be stopping by tonight to take a look at it again. Been bad week on my AC units, house AC wouldnt work the other day either, same friend had to hook me up with it as well, just the opposite problem though, fan would run but the compressor would not!

deerslayer · 06-03-2010, 01:26 PM

Well we got the ac running, turns out he just had to work thefan abck and forth two or three times and it freed up. Kicked right on. He said it mite be the bearings are starting to go so wel will just keep an eye out on it and see how the season goes!

**JohnB** · 06-03-2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerslayer

Well we got the ac running, turns out he just had to work the fan back and forth two or three times and it freed up. Kicked right on. He said it mite be the bearings are starting to go so wel will just keep an eye out on it and see how the season goes!

Glad you got it going. However it may not have been the bearings but more of corrosion in the rotor itself and you broke it free.

See here what awaited me this spring. The motor was frozen solid. And this camper was stored inside.... I believe the metal sweat from cold to warm created moisture inside the motor that then set up. The bearings have lube in them at least and where fine.

I replaced this motor with a new one as I did not want the new owner to have any issues. If it was mine I may have dressed up the rotor with emery and tried it. Go figure the camper that lives outside all winter had no problems, just the one stored inside??? Some luck

If the bearing is going you will be getting a vibration most likely and noise and if that starts to happen ideally turn it off as heavy vibration may work loose one of the fans and if they let go and fly into one of your coils a simple fix just got real expensive.

Hope yours keeps working well.

John

deerslayer · 06-04-2010, 04:14 AM

WOW thats wierd because mine was stored inside all winter as well!