A/C Not Cooling

Cracker · 08-23-2005, 05:44 PM

Curses! Without warning my A/C suddenly quit cooling. The fan and thermostat are still doing their thing but the compressor doesn't appear to be working - or it's so low on freon that I'm not hearing it cut in. This is the Penguin reverse-cycle unit found on the 2000 Excella. I've read elsewhere herein that the freon can be recharged on the Penguin - but golly, I've got 10-year old cheap window units at my camp that still work like new! I know that the rooftop A/C on a trailer gets a lot more "knocking around" but hey, that's what they're designed for. What really ticks me off is that it stopped working while sitting in my yard hooked up. I had been keeping the trailer at around 82 degrees during the hotter part of the summer - but during the past week my wife and I moved into the trailer and lowered the temp while giving our guests the camp accomodations. The first night or so everything was OK - but then I noticed that I wasn't hearing the compressor kick in and out like I'm use to. I have full 30-amp service provided to the trailer and I monitor the voltage closely. What would cause the freon to suddenly leak - or some other problem (gremlins) to suddenly appear? Is there anything simple that I might be overlooking before I consider the repair shop?

65GT · 08-23-2005, 07:01 PM

I just had my A/C looked at in Foxboro MA. Thermostat would kick and I could here a click on the roof, but nothing more than a click. There's a control box up top and inside we found a blown black wire to the solenoid (relay). The a/c guy says it's a common problem on mobile rooftop units. Through vibrations one of the connectors (there are four) gets loose, creates resistance, heats up and melts or blows something. If you've got a manual for your a/c unit, go topside open it up and look for a loose wire. If it's loose tighten it up, if it's burnt (insulation bubbled), strip it, put a new connector on it, and try to fire it up again.

Oh, and before you do any of that, check the fuses!

A common loose of a/c is low refrigerant, but a loose wire could also be the culprit.

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desi arnaz · 08-23-2005, 08:16 PM

mine wont come on at all....the thermostat is brand new and seems to work but will not kick on the motor.

65GT · 08-23-2005, 09:12 PM

I'd do all the same checks it's better than a repair bill!

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