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03-18-2011, 05:16 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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AC Service
What do you HVAC pros have to say about annual AC servicing on your Montanas. Yes/no, what to have technician do and how to make sure he does it???? Should I call an RV tech or AC Tech? Want to get a heads up on summer as it comes quickly here in AZ......Thanks
Phil
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03-19-2011, 02:09 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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I always recommend 'bumping' the A/C fan motor, (not the compressor) during the winter month's.
The fan needs to turn a little maybe monthly, to keep it free. The compressor is a sealed system, nothing going on there.
Clean the condenser with simple green, (easier on the roof and other components) if it's dirty, and they usually get dirty.
Don't let anyone get close to it with a high pressure hose, or power washer, too easy to bend the fins.
Other than that, I can't think of anything other than changing the filter material. I would clean it during the summer, but change it at the beginning of summer.
I am starting my spring-summer start-ups for my customers, changed out two condenser fan motors yesterday on 15 ton units, and added 60# of refrigerant to a number of big units. (Old dis-continued leaking coils, can't find replacement coils.)
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03-19-2011, 02:11 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Oh, I 'bumped' mine in the bedroom, it vibrated violently. That told me the mud-dobbers had built a nest on one of the fan blades, I will have to pull the cover and clean the nest off. (Mud)
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03-19-2011, 04:04 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Eastern
Posts: 1,155
M.O.C. #7270
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Ozz you are right on I hate mud-dobbers we call them dirt-dobbers in SC. I have had them build a nest in the plastic out door fan and it sounded like it was gonna fly off the roof. I clean both coils and the inside of the housing aprox ever 3yrs also like to bump the unit often as you. I talked to 2 rv techs just to get a price for ref and they gave a # of 75$ to 150$ to clean it. Phil atleast it gives you some info but I do mine. I always think I can do better. Just shows what I know!!! LOL
Bobby
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03-20-2011, 06:01 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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I just cleaned our coils and evaporator fan. I could not believe how dirty it was. The squirrel cage fan was caked with dirt, almost stopping up the vanes. The coils were also packed with dirt, and I have religiously cleaned the filter. Of course, where we have been parked, there was lots of blowing sand. I procrastinated in buying and installing the Dometic Genesis filter....now I'm paying for it. That squirrel cage is a booger to get to. I gently pulled the evaporator coils back where I could brush it, but it still isn't as clean as I want it. Oh, btw, this all started when I fired the AC up this spring. She promptly froze up.
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03-20-2011, 06:05 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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03-20-2011, 10:55 AM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cresco
Posts: 447
M.O.C. #6693
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OZZ:
Was the link suppose to show a picture or just give the name??? JB
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03-20-2011, 11:43 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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I'm gonna go with this one OZZ; http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...n-system/26436. If that one isn't good, I'll build a plywood box and put a filter in it. Those OEM filters are not any good. If I can see thru it, dirt can get through it too.
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03-20-2011, 03:41 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Eastern
Posts: 1,155
M.O.C. #7270
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Will I taped a cheap paint brush to a pc of scrap wood 1/4x3/4 about 18" long and it helped alot in cleaning the s-cage. I also built a wood box in a sob we had and installed a 16x16 residential filter. that is a good idea I Just need to get around the quick cool slide.
Bobby
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03-21-2011, 09:03 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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The grill, and that is all it seems to be, is fancy, but I think it's just a $90.00 pc. of plastic with lights in it.
You can put a filter up inside, possibly a pleated, but I would not want to restrict that intake with a Pleat. These things freeze up if you look at them funny.
If you keep the present filter clean, it will work as designed. Just my humble opinion.
JB, it should have shown a bunch of replacement filters.
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03-21-2011, 09:09 AM
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#11
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cresco
Posts: 447
M.O.C. #6693
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OZZ:
It did.... Me being in to big of a hurry, didn't wait for it to load. Thanks, my fault...JB
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03-22-2011, 02:51 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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OZZ, I looked again at the link you provided. That first filter might be better than the OEM type ours came with. I haven't seen one of those any where here. (don't ever get away from Rockport!) The Genesis has lights for monitoring differential across the filter. The other is to monitor charging of the solar panel available for mounting on top of the AC.
Our filter is just that foam that you cut to fit. (it has been replaced) Very thin and flimsy. The Genesis uses a HEPA filter, which IIRC removes like 99.9 percent of particles in intake air.
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03-22-2011, 04:20 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Will, I would see if I could install a Pleat inside your unit, but like I said these small units freeze up easily, more often when ducted, less often when in the 'Dump' mode. Any air restriction would be a factor, like a pleat.
That's probably why they design the new HEP cover the way they do.
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03-22-2011, 06:39 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Ozz
Will, I would see if I could install a Pleat inside your unit, but like I said these small units freeze up easily, more often when ducted, less often when in the 'Dump' mode. Any air restriction would be a factor, like a pleat.
That's probably why they design the new HEP cover the way they do.
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I found the Genesis over on ebay for less than 20 bucks plus shipping. Think I'll order one and take a look at it.
I agree on the freeze ups. I tried using better filter material, but the grill wouldn't snap in place. I'm hoping with the Genesis with the HEPA filter, there will be more surface area, thus more air flow.
From the little I looked at the circuitry on the Dometic unit, it seems to have a temp probe mounted on the evaporator to prevent freeze ups. I would think it is suppose to drop the compressor out at too low a temperature....I can tell you it doesn't do so tho. The coil was a solid block of ice. It's working good again now tho. Didn't check it this time, but before when I serviced it, it was dropping 23* across the coils.
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