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jd3520
Explorer
Oct 08, 2015

Air intake for front air conditioner

My front air conditioner has never been very cold. I am currently replacing the gasket on this unit. It is not ducted and from what I have seen, this air conditioner was an add on after the trailer left the factory. I noticed the air going into the a/c (intake) can come from the roof area between the ceiling and the roof ie. the area where the insulation is. There is nothing blocking the 3-4" space between the ceiling and the roof. I am building a box so the intake air all comes from the living area. Is it normal to have the a/c draw its air from this roof space? I'm sure the temp in that area can reach well over 110 degrees during the hot Texas summers.

Chuck
  • This video shows that most bad AC cooling problems stem from horrible sealing, specifically in the area you found wasn't constructed correctly.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzdQoDublzs

    You may want to take a look as maybe this aluminum tape will help continue to seal up the area nice and tight.
  • Got it all back together. What a difference. Didn't let it run 20 minutes like the experts say but it took the exhaust air down to 58 degrees. This is with windows and doors open running probably 10-12 minutes. Outside temp. was 86. Good enough for me.
  • It's a Coleman Mach unt. After posting I went to YouTube and Mark Polk was installing a smilar unit. Apparently the metal duct going from living space to a/c intake was not installed. The box I'm making will take that part's place. Bet the a/c will work much better. I can see the installer asking "what is this for" and thinking the owner will never know.
  • Somebody doing install forgot some parts..........


    NO the A/C Unit is not suppose to draw any air from rv attic area.
    ALL return air should come form inside RV only and ALL discharge air should blow out into inside of RV only.

    Also no air should mix between return side and discharge side


    What is Brand/Model of the ductless A/C Unit?

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