Roadtrek 190 a/c replacement
My RoadTrek 190 Popular (yr 2000) air conditioner failed. It was a Fedders 8000 BTU and blows cool but not cold. I have found a 6000 BTU home window unit that will fit the space, but the RoadTrek serv...
Forum Discussion
Well, the a/c replacement is complete. We will road test it for 650 miles tomorrow.
I used a Kenmore 8000 btu from Sears. The online specs said it was 12.5” high – exactly the same as the original Fedders – but, in fact, the Kenmore was 12” high in front and 13” high in back. (there is a bump on the bottom at the back). So an average is good enough?!? I wonder if the guy who wrote those specs would wade across the Rio Grande based on the knowledge that its average depth is 4 feet?
I also had available a 2-year old Sharp 8000 btu that is actually smaller than the Fedders in all dimensions. I would have used that if it had been new. I couldn't find a new Sharp the right size.
Anyway, in addition to the directions sent out by the RT service people in Canada, here are some things you should know if you attempt this:
(1) MOST IMPORTANT! If your old unit is just blowing cool (not cold) make sure you look BEHIND the filter before you go to the trouble of replacing it. I thought it was enough to merely be obsessive about cleaning the filter. WRONG! The cleanable slide-out filter does NOT catch everything. I took off the front panel (it houses the filter) of the unit (easy to do), and found that the fins and coils behind it were filthy. Completely clogged. I’m surprised any air got through it at all. Vacuum the dirt off and test it before you bother to even look for a new unit.
(2) You will need 3 people to get the old Fedders out. One to push from the back, one to guide from the front and protect the headliner, and one underneath to support it.
(3) The top of the Fedders and probably the top of the new unit will have sharp corners and screws protruding. You WILL tear the vinyl ceiling padding if you don’t pay close attention to this -- especially to the rearmost corners of the unit. Put something thin but protective between ac and ceiling upholstery.
(4) Getting the upper rear ac grille back into the RT 190 is a real pain (the 200 has easier access). The grille is flimsy, weak aluminum (probably corroded if your RT is old) surrounded by a rubber gasket, and is a very tight fit. The gasket has slots in the edges to accept the edge of the aluminum grille on one side and the fiberglass edge on the other. The directions don’t explain this, but there is an inconspicuous third slot in the front face of the gasket. This is not decorative. Pushing a flat blade screwdriver into this slot pushes open the gasket slot that will accept the fiberglass edge. Doing this as you work your way along will facilitate insertion. A thin metal putty knife is also a useful tool. Another essential trick is to spray the gasket slots and the fiberglass/aluminum edges with windex. The detergent in the windex acts as a lubricant. (By sheer luck I had help from a guy who replaces windshields.)
(5) Your new AC won’t have exactly the dimensions of the old. You will need the capability to make wooden shims and probably fabricate some interior trim to cover the gaps. And have some foam rubber handy. The old foam is unlikely to be reusable.
(6) An alert reader pointed out that there were a couple of baffles added to the back of the Fedders, held in place mostly by silicone putty. I couldn't see where they performed a useful function, as they did nothing to direct the flow of condensate out the back, and they did very little to direct the outflowing air toward the grille. I left them out on the reinstall, although it would have been easy to fabricate some new ones from aluminum flashing. They would have to be bigger than the old ones, though, because the new a/c is shorter front-to-back.
It took 3 people 3 hours, and we had everything we needed onsite.
I used a Kenmore 8000 btu from Sears. The online specs said it was 12.5” high – exactly the same as the original Fedders – but, in fact, the Kenmore was 12” high in front and 13” high in back. (there is a bump on the bottom at the back). So an average is good enough?!? I wonder if the guy who wrote those specs would wade across the Rio Grande based on the knowledge that its average depth is 4 feet?
I also had available a 2-year old Sharp 8000 btu that is actually smaller than the Fedders in all dimensions. I would have used that if it had been new. I couldn't find a new Sharp the right size.
Anyway, in addition to the directions sent out by the RT service people in Canada, here are some things you should know if you attempt this:
(1) MOST IMPORTANT! If your old unit is just blowing cool (not cold) make sure you look BEHIND the filter before you go to the trouble of replacing it. I thought it was enough to merely be obsessive about cleaning the filter. WRONG! The cleanable slide-out filter does NOT catch everything. I took off the front panel (it houses the filter) of the unit (easy to do), and found that the fins and coils behind it were filthy. Completely clogged. I’m surprised any air got through it at all. Vacuum the dirt off and test it before you bother to even look for a new unit.
(2) You will need 3 people to get the old Fedders out. One to push from the back, one to guide from the front and protect the headliner, and one underneath to support it.
(3) The top of the Fedders and probably the top of the new unit will have sharp corners and screws protruding. You WILL tear the vinyl ceiling padding if you don’t pay close attention to this -- especially to the rearmost corners of the unit. Put something thin but protective between ac and ceiling upholstery.
(4) Getting the upper rear ac grille back into the RT 190 is a real pain (the 200 has easier access). The grille is flimsy, weak aluminum (probably corroded if your RT is old) surrounded by a rubber gasket, and is a very tight fit. The gasket has slots in the edges to accept the edge of the aluminum grille on one side and the fiberglass edge on the other. The directions don’t explain this, but there is an inconspicuous third slot in the front face of the gasket. This is not decorative. Pushing a flat blade screwdriver into this slot pushes open the gasket slot that will accept the fiberglass edge. Doing this as you work your way along will facilitate insertion. A thin metal putty knife is also a useful tool. Another essential trick is to spray the gasket slots and the fiberglass/aluminum edges with windex. The detergent in the windex acts as a lubricant. (By sheer luck I had help from a guy who replaces windshields.)
(5) Your new AC won’t have exactly the dimensions of the old. You will need the capability to make wooden shims and probably fabricate some interior trim to cover the gaps. And have some foam rubber handy. The old foam is unlikely to be reusable.
(6) An alert reader pointed out that there were a couple of baffles added to the back of the Fedders, held in place mostly by silicone putty. I couldn't see where they performed a useful function, as they did nothing to direct the flow of condensate out the back, and they did very little to direct the outflowing air toward the grille. I left them out on the reinstall, although it would have been easy to fabricate some new ones from aluminum flashing. They would have to be bigger than the old ones, though, because the new a/c is shorter front-to-back.
It took 3 people 3 hours, and we had everything we needed onsite.
