I have a Duo Therm Brisk Air on my '95 Coachmen fifth wheel. Two weeks ago, I replaced the start capacitor. This capacitor doesn't seen to have the chip thing on top and the whole a/c bursts to life when I turn it on. All was well, except I turned the A/C off and tried to turn it on a few minutes later. Just some groaning. It took a couple hours before it would turn back on. This situation repeated itself a couple times, then seemed to resolve itself. Now, when when the compressor wants to cycle off, both fan and compressor power way down, sounding much like it did when the start capacitor was not working. It will not power back up. Right now, it has been off for about an hour. I just checked, and it won't start.If it repeats yesterday, the A/c should start up just fine in the morning, then when the compressor wants to cycle off, the whole thing will power down.Any ideas?

I hate to be Bearer of Bad News, but here's my take on your statements:Your compressor is failing.I think the compressor can start when it's cold. When it runs till it cycles, it gets hot enough to bind it up. After an extended period, it cools enough to be able to start again. This will take extra time if you don't do something to get the power away from it, because it'll try to start and cycle out on its own built in "Klixon" safety device. Get a clamp-on AC ammeter (Harbor Freight $20 one will be just fine). Read the tag on the compressor. It'll have Start Amps, Run Amps, and Locked Rotor Amps. You probably won't be able to meter it for Start, since that's a fast surge and many meters won't trap that. But once it starts, you should see the Run amps. My guess is that Run amps will be above the plate spec. But then when it's groaning, you'll see Locked Rotor Amps and that's what shouldn't be.That or... Possibly defective or wrong application on the capacitor(s) or hard start kit.And I hope I'm wrong. See my comments on other recent A/C issues and I usually suspect the Capacitor.

Because I am not afraid of public shaming, I will have to say I guessed when I put in the new capacitor. It was different from the old one, so I put the red wire with the red cluster and the red-and-white wire in the space left over.

You cannot install a start capacitor without a start device to take it out of the circuit. It is likely the new start capacitor has simply failed. Either get the OEM start kit, or an aftermarket one like the Supco SPP6 or SPP6E.

Quote:I turned the A/C off and tried to turn it on a few minutes later. Just some groaning.-------------------------------------------------------------You know that this is normal for a few minutes ?But it should fire up in 10 minutes or so.

Chris, I went to Camping World armed with the A/C's serial and model number and this is what they gave me. It looked like the original start capacitor I had, then replaced with a Supco. Did they give me the wrong thing? RJ, yes, this is different groaning.

A/C powers down, won't power back up | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

NanHenson
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
Because I am not afraid of public shaming, I will have to say I guessed when I put in the new capacitor. It was different from the old one, so I put the red wire with the red cluster and the red-and-white wire in the space left over.
j-d
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2013
I hate to be Bearer of Bad News, but here's my take on your statements:

Your compressor is failing.

I think the compressor can start when it's cold. When it runs till it cycles, it gets hot enough to bind it up. After an extended period, it cools enough to be able to start again. This will take extra time if you don't do something to get the power away from it, because it'll try to start and cycle out on its own built in "Klixon" safety device.

Get a clamp-on AC ammeter (Harbor Freight $20 one will be just fine). Read the tag on the compressor. It'll have Start Amps, Run Amps, and Locked Rotor Amps. You probably won't be able to meter it for Start, since that's a fast surge and many meters won't trap that. But once it starts, you should see the Run amps. My guess is that Run amps will be above the plate spec. But then when it's groaning, you'll see Locked Rotor Amps and that's what shouldn't be.

That or... Possibly defective or wrong application on the capacitor(s) or hard start kit.

And I hope I'm wrong. See my comments on other recent A/C issues and I usually suspect the Capacitor.

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A/C powers down, won't power back up

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