15000 BTU AC troubleshooting or not?

automagp68 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
36 foot and 1- 15k AC unit. 99 degrees outside. It will NOT cool period. Now, at this point, you need the compressor amps checked. NOTHING else will do for a check out other than this. Once that is done will determine if the AC unit is performing to spec. RVP(Coleman) will not warranty this unit. It is too old. Doug

Thanks everyone for the replies

Let me clarify a few things

Coach is 35 feet but 10+ of it is garage.

Garage door was shut and vents closed as to not cool the garage.

I was using a plain old orange extension cord like for power tools or something.
Since we were parked at home nothing was on in the coach except the battery charger was running
Voltage at the plug is unknown but i can check that today.
When i was on the roof like i said in the first post i DID clean out the entire unit and check the ducting for leaks

Should the AC have separate breakers for fan and compressor? I doubt it but ill look today.

For those of you suggesting the AC will not cool the coach, why do they sell it then?
If that were the case i doubt i would be the first person to complain about it
I know a bigger unit would be "better" but like i said we typically use the ac twice a year
we camp in the colorado mountains

The Orange extension cord is probably the problem. If it is 16 gauge, it is rated at about 9 amps and with a motor starting current of 30 amps for 2 seconds, it really will not do well.

If it is 14 gauge extension cord, then it is rated at a max of 15 amps, but probably will have to much voltage loss. Especially when starting the compressor.

If it is 12 gauge, it will be nearly the size outside diameter as the RV cord itself, and should handle the 20 amp load, and take the 30+ amp start current without to much voltage loss.

I have a 30' Bounder with dual pane windows, 13,500 Btu A/C and lived one summer in Mesa AZ. I could keep it around 85 inside. I was getting a 20F temp drop across the evaporator, and had my RV plugged into a 50 amp receptacle, with 118 volts while under load.

Once the sun goes down, and it is only 95F out, it would cool to 75F inside.

My guess is your power cord is to small. If you can plug into the 20 amp plug in the laundry room, it is better than the wiring going to all the bedroom receptacles, then to the garage, and you might get a higher voltage reading under load.

If you have a 30 amp electric dryer, with a 4 wire receptacle, you could make an adapter from that to the standard 50 amp stove receptacle, (buy a 30 amp 4 wire dryer cord and a surface mount stove receptacle, and connect them together) then plug in the dryer cord to the dryer receptacle, then plug in a 50 to 30 amp adapter to that, and you can plug your RV directly into a 30 amp receptacle that is already in your home.

In any event, if you can pull the RV close enough that it's own cord can reach a receptacle in your home, it will probably work right - if you can avoid any extension cords.

If you have a electric stove near the RV, then you could unplug it, and using a standard RV 50 to 30 amp adapter, plug in there. At least you will be able to figure out of the A/C is suffering from low voltage.

Good luck!

Fred.