Air conditioner not cooling

[CamperWill]

Hey all, I could use some help with troubleshooting our A/C, it quit working last year. It's an airxcel 48253B866 (13.5k unit) and is only 4 years old.

I replaced both the running and fan capacitor and have verified both the fan and the compressor are running. The compressor is pulling about 10 amps when cooling is called for. The evaporator and condenser fins have been cleaned as has the air filter.

With the compressor running for a few minutes the top line gets very hot while the bottom line is around ambient temp.

[dougrainer]

CamperWill wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
Then it should be cooling. Doug

It's great that it should be, but I wouldn't be writing this post if it was 🙂

I need to know the exact ambient temp. The AMP draw of the compressor AFTER running a minimum of 15 minutes. Not a guess, but the exact amp draw and the exact ambient temp. Your previous post with a "guess" indicates a low charge, which means a very slow leak. Doug

[CamperWill]

dougrainer wrote:
Then it should be cooling. Doug

It's great that it should be, but I wouldn't be writing this post if it was 🙂

[dougrainer]

CamperWill wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
Where and WHICH wire(color) are you reading the amp draw? If you are reading the COMPLETE (Fan and Compressor) amp draw, that puts the compressor amp draw at 7.5 amps which indicates either a low charge or defective compressor. Either way you will have to replace the upper unit. Doug

The readings excluded the fan draw since I measured the purple and yellow wire in the ceiling assembly that goes to the roof unit. The yellow wire goes to the run capacitor and the purple goes to the compressor according to the wiring diagram. Both wires had the same amp load.

Then it should be cooling. Doug

[CamperWill]

dougrainer wrote:
Where and WHICH wire(color) are you reading the amp draw? If you are reading the COMPLETE (Fan and Compressor) amp draw, that puts the compressor amp draw at 7.5 amps which indicates either a low charge or defective compressor. Either way you will have to replace the upper unit. Doug

The readings excluded the fan draw since I measured the purple and yellow wire in the ceiling assembly that goes to the roof unit. The yellow wire goes to the run capacitor and the purple goes to the compressor according to the wiring diagram. Both wires had the same amp load.

[dougrainer]

CamperWill wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
At 95 degrees the compressor will pull 11.6 amps. At 85 degrees 10.6 amps and at 75 degrees 9.6 amps. If the compressor is at these amp draws, the unit is fully charged. Doug

How are you checking the amp draw? What type of meter?

Those amp ratings are slightly higher then what I was seeing, at 85-90 degrees I think I saw 9.8 amps or so. It was measured with a clamp meter.

Where and WHICH wire(color) are you reading the amp draw? If you are reading the COMPLETE (Fan and Compressor) amp draw, that puts the compressor amp draw at 7.5 amps which indicates either a low charge or defective compressor. Either way you will have to replace the upper unit. Doug

[CamperWill]

j-d wrote:
Your opening statement says "quit working" but (fortunately!) your details indicate it's at least running, and Doug's reply confirms your "feel test" saying it's properly charged.

So... If you have cleaned Filter, Condenser and dismantled the front sheet metal to clean the Evaporator, I think it merits this question"

Is this a Ducted Sytem? Starting to seem to me that something's out of place in the ducting or the area the A/C's installed in.

If it IS Ducted, is the Freeze Sensor in the correct position? I don't think being misplaced will cause it to not try to cool, but it can lead to evaporator freezing with condensation. That'll stop the cooling.

It is not a ducted system.

[j-d]

Your opening statement says "quit working" but (fortunately!) your details indicate it's at least running, and Doug's reply confirms your "feel test" saying it's properly charged.

So... If you have cleaned Filter, Condenser and dismantled the front sheet metal to clean the Evaporator, I think it merits this question"

Is this a Ducted Sytem? Starting to seem to me that something's out of place in the ducting or the area the A/C's installed in.

If it IS Ducted, is the Freeze Sensor in the correct position? I don't think being misplaced will cause it to not try to cool, but it can lead to evaporator freezing with condensation. That'll stop the cooling.

[CamperWill]

dougrainer wrote:
At 95 degrees the compressor will pull 11.6 amps. At 85 degrees 10.6 amps and at 75 degrees 9.6 amps. If the compressor is at these amp draws, the unit is fully charged. Doug

How are you checking the amp draw? What type of meter?

Those amp ratings are slightly higher then what I was seeing, at 85-90 degrees I think I saw 9.8 amps or so. It was measured with a clamp meter.

[dougrainer]

At 95 degrees the compressor will pull 11.6 amps. At 85 degrees 10.6 amps and at 75 degrees 9.6 amps. If the compressor is at these amp draws, the unit is fully charged. Doug

How are you checking the amp draw? What type of meter?

[ksg5000]

If your out of freon consider a new air conditioner. Yes - you can hire someone to install ports and patch the leaks but in some areas that can be a significant portion of what a new air conditioner would cost. Ports and patches tend to be temporary solutions and many who op for that solution have to add freon on regular basis. Just another opinion.

[Joe417]

If the compressor is good, any refig. mechanic should be able to find the leak, fix it, and gas it.

You said "top and bottom" lines, the line from the compressor to the outside condenser coil should be getting warm and the line running from the condenser to the inside evaporator coil and the coil itself should get cold.

If you have the knowledge and tools to fix it I'm sure it would be cost effective.

Since it's been open since last year you'll need to pull a very good vacuum once it's repaired and add a dryer.

A new top unit here is about twice what the repair would cost.

If you have to pay someone else, the question is what will they charge you. If you take it off the camper and in to their shop they might be real reasonable. Can't hurt to ask.

You might find a used one for the cost of the repair.

[CamperWill]

midnightsadie wrote:
x2 the touch test is a good sign. never heard of that brand, is there ports on it to recharge. if not look for a new one, and if charged you gotta find the leak.

It's a coleman mach 3, airxcel makes them. No recharge ports on any of the units that make from my understanding. Anyone ever do a line tap and recharge on these? Looks like the freon will only run about $60 which is far cheaper then a new unit.

[midnightsadie]

x2 the touch test is a good sign. never heard of that brand, is there ports on it to recharge. if not look for a new one, and if charged you gotta find the leak.

[CamperWill]

azdryheat wrote:
Sounds like it is out of Freon

That's what I was afraid of 😞