Forum Discussion

MTHome's avatar
MTHome
Explorer
Jul 30, 2015

Air Conditioner Issue

We have a 2015 Heartland 26LRSS. It has 1 air unit. It was working fine this morning. We arrived at our campsite for the day, turned it on, and it ran fine. After about 30 minutes, it clicked off. I thought it was weird because we weren't cooled off yet. Sure enough it looked like the power had maybe browned out. We flipped the switch and it started up just fine. After 2 repeats at about 30 min. intervals. I ran out and got a surge protector. We needed one anyway. Turned off all the power, hooked it up, and tried again.

This time the air didn't come back on at all. The fan would run but the air wouldn't. We replaced the fuse. Still no air. We did discover that it will run on the non-auto setting. But if you try to change anything on the thermostat, it shuts off again.

Any ideas as to what the issue might be? We're full-timing and it's supposed to get hot again this weekend in Wyoming and Montana.
Seeking Advice
  • GMandJM's avatar
    GMandJM
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2015
    ScottG wrote:
    GMandJM wrote:
    ScottG wrote:
    You need a more expensive autoformer based device for that.


    Wait..what does "autoformer based" mean? (I learn new stuff here daily!)


    An autoformer is a bit of fairly old technology that some electrical safeguard systems use to boost the voltage when it drops too low.
    I don't own such a system but others here can recommend better brands.


    I know what an autoformer is and have looked into them. I don't really understand the science behind them well enough to make them make sense. They seem like smoke and mirrors to me so I must be missing or misunderstanding something somewhere.

    Having never heard of an "autoformer based" low voltage protection system, you got my attention. :)

    Thank you.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Jul 30, 2015
    MitchF150 wrote:
    Get a volt meter and check the volts at one of your outlets when the A/C is running. If it's below 105v, that's not good and really nothing you can do about it because the camps electric grid is being maxed out..
    Mitch

    Without knowing the voltage while this is happening, we are guessing and the best guess is that the CG has low voltage. If it is low voltage (below 106-108) you need to move to a site closer to the transformer for your section of the CG. The closer to the power source the higher the voltage. In addition to a simple volt meter I would get one of these so you can monitor the voltage. My EMS shuts my rig down when the voltage gets below 108V.

  • MitchF150's avatar
    MitchF150
    Explorer III
    Jul 30, 2015
    Get a volt meter and check the volts at one of your outlets when the A/C is running. If it's below 105v, that's not good and really nothing you can do about it because the camps electric grid is being maxed out..

    If you are getting above that voltage, it could be your rig itself? Could be the A/C unit or how it's wired?

    Good luck!

    Mitch
  • lj2654's avatar
    lj2654
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2015
    Lots of heat = lots of RVs using a lot of amps is causing brownouts in Parks. I have had a few issues also, always during the day though and when cg is full.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Jul 30, 2015
    GMandJM wrote:
    ScottG wrote:
    You need a more expensive autoformer based device for that.


    Wait..what does "autoformer based" mean? (I learn new stuff here daily!)


    An autoformer is a bit of fairly old technology that some electrical safeguard systems use to boost the voltage when it drops too low.
    I don't own such a system but others here can recommend better brands.
  • MTHome's avatar
    MTHome
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2015
    We have a slider not a plus minus type unit. We tried again to switch it from just running to the auto function. It worked on low but cut out again on high. Adjusting the temp does nothing to turn it back on.
  • GMandJM's avatar
    GMandJM
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2015
    ScottG wrote:
    You need a more expensive autoformer based device for that.


    Wait..what does "autoformer based" mean? (I learn new stuff here daily!)
  • newman_fulltime's avatar
    newman_fulltime
    Explorer II
    Jul 30, 2015
    try resending the thermostat push the fan to auto then push mode and the plus button at the same time
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Jul 30, 2015
    Keep in mind that a common surge protector will not give any protection against "brown-outs".
    You need a more expensive autoformer based device for that.

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