Air Conditioner just died (I think)

[andymaan]

I'm hoping someone can help. We just got back from a week trip to our local mountains and my 3000w generator would not run our 13.5 coleman air-conditioner. The air worked plugged in to a 30amp circuit at my house before we left. When we got home, I plugged it back in to the 30amp and the breaker went off. I opened up the panel on the RV and found the ground wire loose. I tightened and reset the breaker and everything came online (microwave display, TV light, etc.). I tested the microwave and it worked. I turned the Air on and when the compressor tried to come online, I heard a loud sound (pop, then gas escaping) and billowing white smoke came out of the roof unit (My wife said it was scary). Obviously, the compressor would not come on again. I took the cover off the roof unit and noticed oil everywhere around the compressor. Everything else looked okay.

What am I dealing with now and is it serviceable? What cost can I expect.

thanks everyone:)

Andy

[andymaan]

I am finally ready to replace the unit. I'm now looking for a good/fair rv repair shop near Orange County California.

Suggestions?

Thanks again,

Andy

[Bob_Landry]

Either Coleman or Dometic would be fine. I like Coleman because I've used their products since I was a kid.
Be sure you go with the 15KBTU.

[andymaan]

Thanks for all the information. I'm having a mobile service check out the A/C, but it looks like I need a new upper AC unit. I have some verbal quotes given at $800 to $1200. The higher quotes include the upper and lower units. Does it make more sense to stay with the Coleman Mach series or should I look to change? The Trailer and A/C (8333c876) are 7 years old.

Always appreciate the input:)

Andy

[Bob_Landry]

Some of the capacitors in these units are oil filled which would account for an oily residue. Everyone can armchair troubleshoot this all day, but a check by a competent tech will give a quick answer. I've seen small holes rubbed in tubing from abrasion, but in 15 years of marine AC work, and some roof units, I've never seen a copper line "rupture". There are too many other things that would have failed from high pressure first.

[2edgesword]

If it's a capacitor that vented in the way you described (smoke/oil) the venting should be very obvious when you do a visual inspection of the capacitor.

If the capacitor appears intact then it could be a ruptured line that vented freon and oil. The line would have to be repaired and the system recharged. As others have mentioned the cost of replacing a capacitor is minimal but if a line has been broken the cost of repair and recharging may not make sense versus investing in a new unit.

[JRS___B]

You said you heard "gas escaping" and there was "oil everywhere". The smoke could well have been from the circuit board, but not the gas and oil.

You might want to ask a tech what they want for a diagnosis. I think I paid about $85 to have someone come out and go over my A/C unit when it failed. Now this guy actually cannibalized old units (especially Carrier) for hard to get parts in good condition. But even he would not bother with the compressor unless the unit was very new.

[byways]

It is also possible you blew a start capacitor. I wouldn't be too quick to buy a new A/C if it's a 10 dollar part.

[Bob_Landry]

There is no ruptured line and the compressor is a sealed unit. The smoke came from a blown circuit board. An R22 unit is going to have a max head pressure of around 425 PSI and at that, the compressor would burn out and simply stop running.

These units are easily serviced by sweating in a shrader valve for recharging. I do it all the time. The previous post is correct in that there are few RV techs who want to work on them. With current shop rates and parts being what they are, the cost for repair can be as high as replacement costs unless you are a DIYer.

[JRS___B]

First of all, others are correct. These units were never designed to be serviced. They are sealed units with no recharge port.

Second, you almost certainly need MORE than a recharge. If there was a puff of white smoke it was a plume of freon and the oil is the lubricant added in with the freon. So your unit is not just leaking, it ruptured a line.

Third, if it ruptured a line it was most likely because the unit was over-pressurized. That would tell me that there is a pressure sensor and relay of some kind somewhere that failed to back off the compressor when it should have. So it built up pressure until something let go.

Sorry to say it, but I think the unit is not worth having fixed unless you have a relative in the refrigeration business.

[bigcitypopo]

i have seen quite a few of those. mainly on office type trailers.. our AC guy at work put recharge ports in so we could service ourselves. If a copper can do it... so can you. lol

If you have a huge leak, I'd probably look at a new unit. the diameter of the line and type has been known to change from model to model which affects efficiency... at least that is what i have been told. to to try and solder/sweat a new line in with Al or silver solder... sounds like a pain.

how old is the unit?

[old_guy]

I have never seen a tech who would work on an A/C. in fact I don't recall ever seeing a charge port on an A/C. usually they just swap them out with a new unit.

[BobsYourUncle]

Sounds like you blew a freon line in there.

I suggest looking to see if you can see a telltale break in the lines somewhere.

A broken line can be mended and the system recharges, however you need to determine the cause of the break. If it has corroded from the inside out then chances are it will happen again and it may be time to replace the whole unit.
But if you can see where something abraded a line and caused the rupture, then perhaps the line repair and recharge may work.

The "billowing white smoke" was likely the freon escaping.

Part of the freon charge includes refrigerant oil. This is likely what you see in there. The oil circulates in the system with the freon so if there is a rupture, then oil comes out too.

The break could be anywhere in there, in the condenser, evaporator, anywhere.