Armstrong RV Air conditioners

[Argosy Heir]

Matteo responded and drew up the diagram . Said it will work for our older Armstrong also.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...-162618-5.html

[DOCBloom]

My armstrong AC is still cooling on my 79 international. But the current drain is approaching 20 amps with the right voltage. Is there any links for checking start and run caps? Its a good AC unit down here in Alabama it gets used a lot.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by DOCBloom

...there any links for checking start and run caps?..

An air conditioner's capacitors do not matter after the unit is running as far as current draw is involved. But if you do not believe me, remove them, and take them to an HVAC supply house, and ask them to check them with their capacitance meter. They will do it for free in the Rocket City.

Tom

[tbashin]

Man I'm glad I found this Armstrong forum discussion. I finally got an Airstream. It's 1976 31' Landyacht Excella 500. The A/C was blowing ice cold each time I tried it for about a week after I got it. . Then the compressor quit kicking in. I went up top and found a burned up terminal on the capacitor. Unfortunately there are no visible numbers on the rusty old capacitor so I cant find one to fit. I tried several A/C and RV parts houses but they all need a part number to help match it up. PPL gave me one to try but when I installed it, the unit came on and started cooling again for just one cycle then it tripped the fuse. Fan not even running now. I'm guessing it was the wrong capacitor. It's an Armstrong TRH25-14. Can any of you lead me in the right direction to find the correct capacitor? It would be greatly appreciated.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by tbashin

... Can any of you lead me in the right direction to find the correct capacitor?

Even though the terminal is burned, there should be just enough metal left for an HVAC parts place to measure the capacitance with their capacitance meter since it sounds like the capacitor might still be good (I have had the same burned terminal experience on a home AC).

Now, if that is out of the question for whatever reason, get the compressor's brand/part number (stamped on top) and ask the parts place what value cap was initially specified.

Hope this helps,
Tom

[blickcd]

I sure do miss my Armstrong AC unit. That medium fan speed was just right.

[Scoutx]

Originally Posted by TomW

Examining the motor's remains, he determined the last piece of information I did not have - the operating speed of 1075 rpm. Checking the books, he found A. O. Smith Electrical Products Company's Stock number 105 motor was identical in electrical characteristics, form & function.

Note A.O. Smith has been bought out the new designation for this motor is the RAL1006.

Note for those with AS before 1966, you may find that this motor spins in the wrong direction for your stock fan blades.

I'm in the process of repairing a '64 Overlander with a factory Bay Breeze A/C unit (Model TAC-10 serial #00037). The blower motor was the typical pile of rust.

In my case, I found that the fan blades were set up for a CW spin, rather than the CCW of the RAL1006. However, since the exterior blade was slated to be replaced anyway, it wasn't much of a difference to replace the interior blade at the same time making the direction of rotation a moot point (just have to make sure you order fan blades for the right direction).
Note both fans suck in at the bottom and blow out at the top.

I also decided to add a rain shield for the blower motor. The unit is a domed 7" disk of black plastic and simply press fits over the shaft and provides an 'umbrella' for the fan motor. As a side benefit it also assists in cooling the motor given the webs on the interior that act like a simple paddle fan.

Another nice advantage of using the RAL106 is there is a mounting bracket for adjusting the 'length' of the motor to allow for matching to length to the replacement motor. Pretty much irrelevant in this case, but the bracket allows the OEM rubber sealing bushing to be pushed on the center hub of the bracket where the factory bushings would mount and continue to preform the function of sealing the outer fan opening against water. It doesn't fit tightly against the motor so it's possible a minor amount of water could enter through the top, but with the motor and the rain shield in place I consider this pretty unlikely in the normal course of events.

Meanwhile, the compressor has some patches of moderate rust, but I know it was functioning when put into storage. The dryer can, on the other hand, is heavily rusted, and if there is a leak in the system it will be there.

I'm going to test the compressor this weekend, but I'm strongly considering a replacement at this point or in the very near future and adding a reversing valve when I do so.

One option is to replace the current switch with a DP3T on/off/on to allow for turning the unit on and off as well as selecting heat/cool mode. I can add a second DP3T on/on/on to give me access to all three speeds. Needless to say a delay relay will be added to impose a delay on compressor startup when power is initially applied, which will also handle quick changes between modes since doing so will reset the delay. The only problem is I will also need to change the operating mode of the thermostat between heating only and cooling only modes each time a switch is made.

Another option is to design a data transmission system that will encode the thermostat signals through the 2 wires I have and decode them on the far end. A simple programmable microprocessor and a few logic level relays could handle this. Of course, the control units would be a simple plug in unit and mounted for easy access...just in case. One wire would be the common ground and the other the serial data line. Power would be supplied independently at both ends.

Final option is to simply route a new thermostat line along the interior keeping it as hidden as possible.

[Scoutx]

I made a mistake when I said the pre-66 used a CW rotation. I make a mistake an mounted my RAL1006 upside down, thus changing it to a CW rotation.... Luckily I caught my mistake before I ordered replacement blades.

Oh, and mine takes an 11" 6 blade interior fan rather than the 14" fan of later models.

Anyway, the motor bolts currently stick out on the lead side of the motor. If you mount them direction to the base plate you will end up with CW rotation. So first thing you will need to do is remove each motor bolt, one at time, and install it in the other direction. This will allow you to bolt the non-lead side to the base giving you the necessary CCW rotation.

In my case, that wasn't as easy since I had already cut the shafts to length . So I had to fall back on the old school method and remove the rotor and flip it end for end. As long as everything is centered in the case this will work, which luckily it did. Then I reversed the motor bolts during reassembly thus mounting the lead side of the motor up while allowing the rotor shaft to remain in the same direction as it was before. Motor now spins CCW without issue, and the work can proceed.

I also took the opportunity to chalk the inside of the manufacturer bushing bracket where it comes up near the motor case to insure no water leaks, but mainly to keep any bugs from finding their way inside. OEM rubber seal still installed over the bushing flange as before.

Finally the earlier models use a smaller interior fan of 11" diameter, which doesn't seem to be made anymore. You can get 10" or 12" but not 11". 12" is too big for the opening so you would be pretty much stuck with 10" and lowering how much air you can push through the evaporator, or having to rig a baffle plate to seal some of the gap around the outside diameter of the fan blade. Neither is a desired option. So if you have one of these with the 11" blade, do not damage it if you can help it as you will need to reuse it if at all possible.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Scoutx

I made a mistake when I said the pre-66 used a...

Thanks for the update.

Tom

[Scoutx]

After completing the blower motor swap and a bit of rewiring to allow for the new motor....I'm happy to say my 54 year old AC unit is still blowing cold air, on the original compressor.

For the moment, my temptation is to leave the unit be until early/mid 2019 or it dies, whichever comes first. At that time I will go ahead and replace the compressor and add a reversing valve. The electrical wiring will get put inside weather tight conduit and a revamp of the control box wiring and logic will be undertaken to allow for heat pump use with existing thermostat and provisions to prevent short cycling the compressor.

[mimiandrews]

I have the Armstrong air conditioner we took off our 1966 Safari. Free to anyone who wants it.

PO let it sit out in the weather without a shroud, but it was working when we removed it from the Airstream.

PM me.

[projector]

I also have one off our '73 Safari available, free to a good home. It's in working condition and blows cold, no exterior shroud. We're in central Florida near the east coast. Going to the curb Sunday.

[TomW]

I would LOVE to have another Bay Breeze AC for spare parts. Sadly, I can't travel to either FL or TX right now to pick one up. While shipping is its own set of hurt, I would gladly pay up to $100 in charges if someone was interested in boxing the parts up & sending it to me.

FWIW, I am just about to install the THIRD fan motor in my Bay Breeze since we hit the road in 2004. The last one started spinning a bad bearing at our 13th trip to Fort Wilderness last week.

I guess I need to balance the running gear...

Tom

[jbknowso]

I’m so excited to find a AC guy to check out my Armstrong Bay Breeze. He’s charging me just $60 to put in a access valve to get e’r going to figure out the next move. Thanks to all you kind people who post so many awesome ideas to help us newbies. I was going to put in a Coleman Mach but paused after seeing your posts saying that the old war bird Armstrong is worth bringing back to life. I live in Illinois and AC mans from Broadhead WI.

[TomW]

Hate to tell you this, but there was already an access valve there - it was probably buried in the goo.

R-22 is as scarce as hen's teeth now; be prepared to pay a fortune for a recharge.

Hope it goes better than my prediction,
Tom

[jbknowso]

Originally Posted by TomW

Hate to tell you this, but there was already an access valve there - it was probably buried in the goo.

R-22 is as scarce as hen's teeth now; be prepared to pay a fortune for a recharge.

Hope it goes better than my prediction,
Tom

Your scaring me Tom[emoji13]
So I assume the access valve is up top than? Do I just follow the coil to find it?
This is foreign to me.

[TomW]

Yes. The fittings will probably be close to where the copper lines enter the interior.

Tom

[jbknowso]

Thanks Tom. Can’t appreciate it enough.

[jonesy 1]

Help my Armstrong 12 unit. temp switch is on all the time. the comp. never turns off and it's cold is this part available anywhere? On unit thermostat

[TG Twinkie]

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