Air conditioner dripping during downpour

[hedgehopper]

During a recent heavy downpour, water was dripping from the filter grills of our Dometic Penguin Duo Therm air conditioner. (The air conditioner was not running.)

What might be the cause? How can this be corrected?

[DFord]

The proper compression on a new gasket is to mash it down with the bolts till it's only 1/2 as thick as it was coming off the shelf. Figure tight won't be sufficient.

[JimBollman]

May not apply to your system but on my Class B the AC sometimes tripped in a heavy rain even when it wasn't running (or running and water is condensing out). I discovered that the way it is mounted, if I am parked with the back high by a few inches that water collects and runs over the lip into an area of the AC that eventually runs out the vent. No problem driving or if the camper is relatively flat or nose high.

[wildtoad]

Just so you know, can’t be done from the inside on a Newmar. Have to go topside but same solution.

[Old-Biscuit]

Hold down bolts should be SNUG......
Waht is SNUG?
Finger tight then just a bit more
Tech Specs.....40 INCH pounds (that is INCH not foot pounds)

Roof gasket...
should be compressed 1/2 of its thickness
New are 1" so installed should be 1/2"
Over compression will crush gasket/distort it/possibly block drip tray drain holes AND could warp roof line causing low spots

[Lynnmor]

doxiemom11 wrote:
Finger tighten those bolts from the inside and see if it stops the leak.

Yep, that should be regular maintenance.

[doxiemom11]

Finger tighten those bolts from the inside and see if it stops the leak.

[DFord]

The air conditioner just sits on a square gasket that's compressed with 4 bolts that squeeze the gasket between the roof and the bottom of the air conditioner. The bolts go through the metal frame that holds the filter rack to the ceiling. It's rare but those gaskets do need replacing after years of use.

My a/c leaked when I parked at the curb on a rainy day. The water poured in! When I replaced the gasket I found a low hanging telephone wire had been caught by the air conditioner as the motorhome passed under it. It pulled the gasket out of place. It only leaked when the MH was tilted toward the curb.

You never know, even if you bought your RV new, where it's been or what might have happened to it while it's not in your possession.