Rear Air on 3400RL

[ehmcfarl]

When I turn my rear air conditioner on, even after it has been off for 8-9 hours, the fan will normally come on immediately (but not always); however it normally takes another 3-4 minutes for the compressor to start up producing cool air. Sometimes when I turn it on nothing happens for 3-4 minutes, then both the fan and compressor start up. Do other peoples work this way too, or is there something wrong with mine? Thanks in advance for any info.

[bncinwv]

I believe the delay is normal due to a electrical protection built in to protect your compressor in the event of power outages or interruptions. Don't know the details, but I am sure one of the electrical gurus can give us a simplified explanation of a complicated feature????
Bingo

[mail2us]

Bingo is on to it. Also not an A/C type but our 3400 does delay as well.

Then I remembered...Our stick house A/C also has a delay before the compressor kicks in.

We'll get the precise answer to this soon, I'll bet!

Noticed you retired from TVA. Did you control the waters at Fontana Dam? My "bank" trout fishing at Fontana has been a challenge lately. Just kiddin' . Dennis

[SlickWillie]

Delay lets pressure equalize in the system.

[Ozz]

Wellll, the t'stat has a built in time delay, sometimes it's in the circuit at the unit itself,in some A/C systems, but not our trailers, I don't think. (I know it is in the t'stat, but haven't read all the varoius schematics on different models and brands to know about a delay in the A/C unit)..., but it should be for the compressor circuit only, the fan should come on every time. I'm thinking the thermostat is bad, next time, turn the fan only, on first, (Leaving the setting on a no-cool set point) see if it starts right up. You can try this five or six times, to see if you can make it malfunction, just wait for a 5 count before switching it.
It can be a bad capacitor, bad fan motor, bad thermostat, you just never know without being there and checking it out. Sounds like the cooling circuit is working normal with the time delay.
Good luck.
Ozz

[ehmcfarl]

I would understand the delay to equalize pressure if I had just cut it off then tried to turn it back on; but, it does this even when it has been "turned off" all night. It must be a delay built into the thermostat itself. I will try turning it off and on as Ozz suggested to see if the fan comes on immediately all the time.

Hey Dennis, yep I retired from TVA last September. I worked in Information Systems (computers), didn't have anything to do with any of the dams; but, I can relate to fishing problems lately. I have about given up for this year. I'm gearing up for some October Fests. I really love the Spring and Fall. This summer in Tennessee has been way too hot and dry. But, good luck in trying to catch those Trout.

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by ehmcfarl

I would understand the delay to equalize pressure if I had just cut it off then tried to turn it back on; but, it does this even when it has been "turned off" all night. It must be a delay built into the thermostat itself. I will try turning it off and on as Ozz suggested to see if the fan comes on immediately all the time.

-snip-

It is my understanding the delay is built in for any time the power is turned on. This is the same application on our power surge protector. It is simple to build it this way. If you loose power and it comes back on in "one second" the delay waits so the AC pressure can stabilize. Also when power comes back on there are a lot of spikes and the delay protects the electronics that way too. Once power is off the delay circuit has nothing to run on to keep time as to how long the power has been off.

[Ozz]

There are delay on 'make', and there are delay on 'break' time delay systems as well. I guess the delay people want us to have all sorts of options.

[dsprik]

quote:Originally posted by ehmcfarl

When I turn my rear air conditioner on, even after it has been off for 8-9 hours, the fan will normally come on immediately (but not always); however it normally takes another 3-4 minutes for the compressor to start up producing cool air. Sometimes when I turn it on nothing happens for 3-4 minutes, then both the fan and compressor start up. Do other peoples work this way too, or is there something wrong with mine? Thanks in advance for any info.

Buddy, You have to look closely at the FAN setting. The reason the fan is coming on immediately is because you don't have the fan setting on AUTO. If on auto it will come on just a second before the compressor does. My compressor is 2:37 delayed exactly - every time. On anything but auto, the fan will run all the time with the compressor cycling on and off...

However, if you blow a breaker (30amp) and go out to reset it at the post, the A/C compressor will come on IMMEDIATELY. Not sure this is good. I have done this several times with no apparent ill effects, but I am now trying to remember to go turn off the thermostat before throwing the breaker back on.

[Waynem]

Are you defining "rear" as the one in the living room, or the bedroom.

If it is the LR, then when in the Auto Mode, there is typically a 2 minute wait for the fan and compressor to kick in. It's built into the system. At least that is the way it is on my 2008 3400RL.

If it is the second AC in the BR, when I switch it on the fan starts immediately, and within a few seconds the compressor will kick in if the thermostat is set to a higher cool rate than the ambient temperature. Sometimes I would reach up and "click" the thermostat to kick in the compressor, than back it off to where it was.

If you have your second AC controlled by the thermostat in the LR for zone 2, then there would be a delay there, I would presume.

Edited: It sounds like you have the fan in either low, medium or High position, which would let the fan come on immediately, but the compressor will still wait approximately 2 minuts on first start up.

[ehmcfarl]

David, you are correct, my fan was set to "Medium", which was why it was coming on immediately. I changed it to "Auto" and now it does not come on immediately, instead it comes on when the compressor starts up.

Wayne, I am referring to the rear as the Living Room area. Your right, after switching my fan to "Auto" both the fan and compressor now start up together in about 2 min. You mentioned that Zone 2 can control the Bedroom air conditioner. Does Zone 2 on your thermostat on your 3400RL control your Bedroom air? If so did it come that way from the factory or did you change it to work that way? I ordered the second air conditioner in the Bedroom from the factory; but, the best I can tell Zone 2 on my thermostat doesn't control anything.

Thanks everybody for the info.

[harrykapp]

My 2007 3400RL will take 3 to 5 min.'s to come on. I always worried something was wrong well the only thing wrong was my impatient nature.

[bsmeaton]

Mine waits right to the very second I start to panic and reach for the thermostat. I swear I can hear it chuckle when it starts

[TLightning]

The owner's manual explains the delay.

[ehmcfarl]

Owners manual, you don't think I read an owners manual do you? Ha, ha, just kidding, thanks Tom I'll pull my manual out and read it. I'm just so used to asking questions here on the Moc forum that I didn't even look at the manual. This forum always has more useful info anyway. Thanks for all the info everyone.

[Delaine and Lindy]

We have a (SOB) with front and rear A/C system and they both are ducted together and the system is called zone 1 (living area) and zone 2 (bed room). They can be set at different temps. When the units are turned on it takes about 2 minutes to come on after the surge protector boots up, I haven't checked the time it could be more or less and then the system will come on to cool down to what ever temp its set to. So for I love this system. I can still remember the old remote system .

[ehmcfarl]

In my 2008 3400RL the thermostat has a Zone 1 and a Zone 2; but, Zone 2 doesn't seem to work. Is it supposed to control the Bedroom AC? I ordered the unit from the factory with the Bedroom AC installed.

[bsmeaton]

Buddy,

Do you have a double row of AC vents running parallel along the ceiling, I think 4 in the bedroom and about 8 in the lower area?

Do you have a sensor located near the forward closet light on the wall (white round thing looks like a mini smoke detector)?

Do you have a ceiling grill over the bedroom AC that is lacking of any controls to operate it?

If you answered "yes" to all three of the above questions, your bedroom AC should be integral with the thermostat in the living room. Not sure why you are not getting an action out of it.

If you answered "no" to all three of the above questions, you have the pre-mid year version of 2008 which is like my 2007 and you have to control the non-ducted bedroom AC manually, even though your thermostat provides for a dual system.

If you answered a combination of yes and no to the above questions, that would be just plain wierd.

Brad

[ehmcfarl]

Well Brad, I guess it's "no" to all three. My unit was supposed to be manufactured the last week of November 2007. So I guess I have the pre-mid year version of 2008. Thanks for clearing this up for me. I didn't understand what was going on with Zone 2.

[sreigle]

Somewhere in the manual it mentions there may be a delay of up to two minutes. Our 2007 has the delay. Our 2001 and 2003 did not.

Our thermostat has 2 zones but the second one is not functional. Our unit was built 8/18/06.