Air Conditioner Draft

w9det · 04-02-2003, 09:36 AM

2001 Safari 27 foot,
I there a baffle in the Air Conditioner? While in cold weather such as heading south in January I stuff the Airconditioner with plastic bags to kee out the cold air. In the summer I suppose the draft helps move the air but in below freezing conditions I seal it. Is there a baffel that is stuck or our all the Airconditioners open to the outside?

Chas · 04-02-2003, 10:54 AM

As far as I know there aren't any models out there that have any part of the inside air portion that is common with the outside air portion. No designed mixing of outside air (fresh air) or economizer mode as we call it in the trade. There may be some gaps where the evaporator tubing goes in to the evaporator portion (inside coil) or a bad seal on the fan shaft which is common to the outside (condenser) fan so some outside air could be getting in through one of those areas. I assume you have a Dometic unit?

They may be building units now with some designed outside air mixing which although I am not aware of it may be a good idea.

Chas

Silvertwinkie · 04-02-2003, 10:56 AM

Not sure about the baffles, but I can tell you that I camped in my Bambi a few times over the winter and found no cold air or otherwise coming from my 11k BTU penguin unit.

Which unit do you have the 11k, 13k or larger BTU A/C?

BTW, seeing that you are in Wheaton, check out the Midwest meet. I'm not too far from you and will be going in June. It would be great if you could make it. You could see and talk all kinds of Airstream shop with us all! Anyway here is the link:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...0874#post30874

Regards,

Eric

**jcanavera** · 04-02-2003, 01:24 PM

I'll concur with the group so far. There should be no outside air coming into your air conditioner. It only recirculates inside air. I would guess that if you wanted to stay in the trailer during winter situations, a small fiberglass insulation square, inserted above the filter will help cut heat loss.

Jack

w9det · 04-10-2003, 08:28 AM

I answered my own question: Dometic advised there is no damper and a draft is normal. In the winter the plastic back work well.

pap · 04-10-2003, 09:22 AM

I do not understand why or how Duo Therm (dometic) would have said that a draft is normal.
Where did they say the air was entering?

Have you also had water entering?
Seems it must if air does?
Please give us particulars on your model ac .

w9det · 04-11-2003, 08:12 AM

Referance my 2001 Safari 27 ft. 13,500 btu roof AC
That is what Dometic said, that if the wind gets the fan moving then a back draft will occure. I don't get any water or any other ill efects. Maybe if water does come in it leaves through the evaorator drian. In the summer on a very windy day I can hear and feal some slight air movement, which is a nice vent system. But in 30 degree or less weather like enroute Arizona etc form Chicago the air is unwanted. Especially you stop for the night. The trailer gets all heated up, walls etc. and now as you travel with no heat you have a draft. I assume it comes in during travel but don't really know but if it is windy, and it is quite often in the winter you can feal a deffinet issue.
I think it depends what way you are facing and if the fan starts moving, but there is not noice.

**jcanavera** · 04-14-2003, 08:49 AM

Even if the wind is strong enough to cause the external fan blades to turn, the air you would feel would only be the recirculated air within the inside compartment, not external air. The external fan and the internal squirrel cage fan run run off the same motor. Air externally causing the outside fan to turn will also cause the inside squirrel cage fan to turn. In cold weather the inside coils that normally extract heat from inside your trailer would also be cold thus the cooler draft you may feel is the air within your trailer passing through the coils.

Jack

Pahaska · 04-14-2003, 09:48 AM

There should be no outside air other than possibly some minor leakage.

If the wind outside turns the fan and causes a air movement inside, all you would need to do is push the directional vanes on the four outlet vents closed. Then, all the fan could do is stir the air inside the AC.

w9det · 09-01-2003, 07:01 AM

I finally went on the roof and looked inside the AC unit. The sheetmetal in the front had a 1x8 inch gap on both sides. I formed the metal to make it fit tight used some caulk and fixed. I used got get a funny plastic fumes smell from the ac and now it is gone. No smell, no wind.

Pahaska · 09-01-2003, 08:03 AM

When I had my trailer at the dealer last week for a new AC thermostat, the tech noticed that there were huge gaps between the duct that brings cold air down and the warm air return area. That caused the cold air from the duct to blow right on the thermostat bulb which caused a lot of unnecessary cycling of the compressor. A little bit of silver air duct tape cured the problem.

One problem I have had with the 13,500 AC in a 22' trailer is that it is hard to direct super cold air from hitting right on me in my side of the bed. very uncomfortable. I finally found that I can bounce the air off the partition and keep it from hitting me directly.

loudruff · 09-01-2003, 11:01 AM

Hey! We don't get high tech, but this works for us. We have the 13,500 Armstrong in a 22' Argosy. No partitions! We cut a Chinet paper plate and stuck it above the offending air duct at the AC outlet directing the cold air down instead of toward the front gaucho. No more drafts! Works good and is easily fixed. Low cost!!
We're out of the breeze!
Larry and Lou