desperate A/C question

[tyndalelady]

A little background info here:
1. I know nothing..I admit it.
2. I have an 83 excella mid bath with the original Coleman ac
3. The A/c has started to smell like melting plastic. But it is still cooling wonderfully
4. I live in this fulltime.
5. I dont know what I need.

I have spoken with the local dealer and he tells me that to keep the drip pan I need the Penguin. That is the only one that will work.

I hear here on the boards about a carrier and everything else. I would love to upgrade from a 13.5 to a 15K if possible.

1. What do I need to buy
2. where do I need to buy
3. how hard is this to install myself, and
4. Are there any step by step pictures available on this site that I have not been able to find?
5. Can I have the drip pan with anything else?
6. How bad is it if it drips down the side?

I thank everyone for your help. And yes, I have used the search function.

Missy

(by the way, does anyone know why the AC would be very cold and smell like melting plastic? )

[uwe]

Missy,

Maybe you could contact Andy at InlandRV. He posts on this forum frequently. Once when I visited with him at his shop in Corona,CA he showed me a drip pan he designed to work with a Carrier A/C unit. The A/C unit looked impressive, and had oscillating louvers and an air shower feature.
A/C weighs around 100lbs, not easy to get on and off your roof. Expert and leak free installation is highy recommended.
The odor from your existing A/C might come from a contaminated evaporator, or something is actually burning. Can you get up there, remove the shroud from outside and inside and take look first? Who knows, it might be a simple fix after all.

[Sneakinup]

I just did the Carrier installation on my trailer, and it is pretty simple if you have help. In my case I had Wally's long lost grandson's expertise.

Here are pix of my installation... Carrier AIR V

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by tyndalelady

(by the way, does anyone know why the AC would be very cold and smell like melting plastic? )

You could have a fan motor that is on its way out. The plastic smell may be insulation burning off wires inside the fan housing. When the insulation finally burns completely through, and the wire touches something metal, it will stop your fan.
If that is all that is wrong with your Coleman, it is repairable. Just find someone to pull the fan motor out, and take the motor to an electrical supply store, and pick up a double-shaft motor like the one you have, and install the new motor. Then continue enjoying your A/C.

[Tin Hut]

Originally Posted by tyndalelady

A little background info here:
1. I know nothing..I admit it.
2. I have an 83 excella mid bath with the original Coleman ac
3. The A/c has started to smell like melting plastic. But it is still cooling wonderfully
4. I live in this fulltime.
5. I dont know what I need.

I have spoken with the local dealer and he tells me that to keep the drip pan I need the Penguin. That is the only one that will work.

I hear here on the boards about a carrier and everything else. I would love to upgrade from a 13.5 to a 15K if possible.

1. What do I need to buy
2. where do I need to buy
3. how hard is this to install myself, and
4. Are there any step by step pictures available on this site that I have not been able to find?
5. Can I have the drip pan with anything else?
6. How bad is it if it drips down the side?

I thank everyone for your help. And yes, I have used the search function.

Missy

(by the way, does anyone know why the AC would be very cold and smell like melting plastic? )

Missy, I agree with you on going to the 15,000 unit for our heat here in Texas. I had my 13,500 replaced with a 15,000. Here's a link to a dealer in Weatherford Texas (by Ft. Worth) that does outstanding work. Call them and ask for David Tidmore. At the very least he'll give you great advice and options. He's done work on my unit and others lately and with great results.
http://rogerwilliams.airstream.com/

[Pick]

My Coleman drips down the side. No biggie, not sure why that is a big concern of some people. Mine is not polished though.............

[Paul Mayeux]

Tin Hut is right - I had David install A/C on my Caravel that had no A/C. He was able to get a drain line from the pan, through the wall to the outside underneath. It works great. He also recommended the wall thermostat. Now I can adjust the temp, fan or on and off without getting out of bed. They also painted the shroud silver to match the coach.

[tyndalelady]

Thanks Guys...it looks like the fan motor is our problem. We oiled the motor and it quit making noise but the smell is stronger. Ugh.

We have an appointment with N. Dallas RV next week for a new fan motor. As much as I want a new AC it is not in the budget this month.

As long as this gets me through this years heat I will get a new one before next summer.

Thanks again.

Missy

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by tyndalelady

Thanks Guys...it looks like the fan motor is our problem. We oiled the motor and it quit making noise but the smell is stronger. Ugh.

We have an appointment with N. Dallas RV next week for a new fan motor. As much as I want a new AC it is not in the budget this month.

As long as this gets me through this years heat I will get a new one before next summer.

Thanks again.

Missy

Glad we could help.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Pick

My Coleman drips down the side. No biggie, not sure why that is a big concern of some people. Mine is not polished though.............

Pick,
the older units had copper coils on them (not sure about the current units) and you would get galvanic destruction of your aluminum with the copper ions sliding down the sides...I have seen a 68 that actually had pinholes in the side of it from the condensate runoff.

Aaron

[Pick]

Aaron, I see. Would this still happen if your clearcoat is still intact??? I remember Andy from Inland saying that using a sprinkler or mister to keep an Airstream cool in hot weather would also cause pinhole leaks.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Pick

Aaron, I see. Would this still happen if your clearcoat is still intact??? I remember Andy from Inland saying that using a sprinkler or mister to keep an Airstream cool in hot weather would also cause pinhole leaks.

I would think that the water would eventually wear out the clear coat. And then you would be back to the exposed aluminum.

Aaron