AC Needs A Push

Needs lubrication and a new run capacitor if over 5 years old.
while your at it, I suggest you replace the compressor run cap too.
both caps dry out and become ineffective over time at elevated temperatures.

If it was squealing then it needs oil. On ours there was a small hole on each end that I could put oil into had I known they was there. Couldn't see them until I removed it so ran it until it stopped turning and had to disassemble.

I'm in an RV park hooked up to 30 amp service. Everything has worked fine and then one day I went to turn it on and it was making a squealing noise so I shut it off and spun the fan. It turned freely so I started it again and it ran fine. After towing it to my next destination, I had the same problem on initial startup.

RoyB wrote:
This could also be a low 120VAc condition. You did not mention if this was a home hookup to your house/garage setup or at a camp ground pedestal...

If you are using one of your garage 120VAc connections it may need to be a 20AMP service and the adapter should always the long dog bone type adapter available from WALMART.

RV30A to 15A long dog bone adapter


If an extension cord is being used it should be a good HD contractor 10-GAUGE type. If the extension cord is one of those red-orange type cords from WALMART then this could do what your describing. Continuing to use an under rated cord will eventually burn up connections or worse yet do damage to your air conditioner.

I have one of these RV 120VAC Meters plugged into a receptacle inside my trailer where i can glance at it to see what the 120VAC level is before I turn on my Air conditioner here at the back yard. This meter has the safe zone printed in GREEN on the front scale...


Just saying...
Roy Ken

It does spin freely. A friend suggested it might be the capacitor but I thought that was only needed to start the compressor and not the fan motor. Even if I have it on fan, it needs to be spun during start up.

A couple of years ago, my AC would not start. I went up on the roof to look at it. On a whim I manually pushed on a blade and made the fan move a bit. I went down and turned on the AC and it ran perfectly. On my next trip of several months, I used it several times for an hour or so at a time. Again, no issues. Now the camper has been sitting unused for well over a year. I had the same issue. And the fix was the same; I moved the fan that cools the coils and it is working again.

This could also be a low 120VAc condition. You did not mention if this was a home hookup to your house/garage setup or at a camp ground pedestal...

If you are using one of your garage 120VAc connections it may need to be a 20AMP service and the adapter should always the long dog bone type adapter available from WALMART.

RV30A to 15A long dog bone adapter


If an extension cord is being used it should be a good HD contractor 10-GAUGE type. If the extension cord is one of those red-orange type cords from WALMART then this could do what your describing. Continuing to use an under rated cord will eventually burn up connections or worse yet do damage to your air conditioner.

I have one of these RV 120VAC Meters plugged into a receptacle inside my trailer where i can glance at it to see what the 120VAC level is before I turn on my Air conditioner here at the back yard. This meter has the safe zone printed in GREEN on the front scale...


Just saying...
Roy Ken

Replace the motor, it is bad. It can also start a fire if ran much more.

For oil,

Zoom Spout Turbine Oil

If it spins freely, then you need a new fan capacitor, if not, then bearings are dry.

Not sure about RV A/C fans but some electric motors need a capacitor to get started. If it fails they act like you describe,