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Jim Flower · 07-27-2018, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by az-streamer

Just wondering, if I trip the a/c circuit breaker and pull the elec fuse is there a real need to disconnect the shore power and hit the store/use switch? Is there some parasitic power draw if you don’t? Just trying to keep the other systems on while I work on this issue.

I understand. My system only broke when I was in Florida trying to survive the suffocating heat and humidity. I have no idea why shutting down everything worked while trying to cherry pick the shut down of systems did not. I went for an ice cream run in my air-conditioned Jeep. When I returned, the thermostat behaved normally. This became my usual "fix" when the thing malfunctioned again. I also did the temperature and max air flow dance to keep the thing running. That is, I set the temp at no more than 8 degrees less than the outside temp, opened up all the air vents, and kept the fan on high.
If all fails, send Lewster a pm and see if he has any ideas. He actually knows how to fix these things. Again, good luck. Jim

az-streamer · 07-27-2018, 09:23 AM

Well - got up this morning and SURPRISE the a/c is now working! Don’t know how or why.
Last night we used the fan since it was plenty cool here in NE Maine. I had let the system rest for the prior 48 hours. I had done the t’stat reset but nothing else.
Don’t know if the issue was with the t’stat or the a/c unit. Honestly don’t care since I had been pricing service calls and replacement costs - ugh!

I BIG thanks to all who offered suggestions.

I will store all of them since I know this issue will pop up again.

OTRA15 · 07-27-2018, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by az-streamer

. . .
. . . I had let the system rest for the prior 48 hours.
. . .

That is on p. 3 of your Dometic booklet, maybe you missed it?

The Force was with you!

Have a good weekend, and may the rest of your trip be . . .

Jim Flower · 07-27-2018, 10:03 AM

Welcome to the mystery fix club. Clap clap

az-streamer · 07-27-2018, 10:20 AM

My new Airstream problem rule:

Anything broken now will still be broken 48 hrs from now - unless it fixes itself.

Thanks again to all and happy trails!

az-streamer · 07-28-2018, 08:36 AM

The saga continues -
A/c worked fine during the day. Didn’t use it much since the temp outside/ inside was cool. At night only used the fan .
Checked the thermostat in the a.m. and it was back to it’s 32deg reading.
Since the a/c did work during the prior day i’m Guessing the a/c hp furnace components are ok. That leaves the thermostat control box on the wall and the control board (?) located somewhere inside the a/c cover on the ceiling or something else accessible only from the roof.
Am currently trying the ‘power down’ option suggested by a few of you. Will let it sit for about 1 hour and try again. Will probably but s new thermostat but will be really ticked off if it’s some sort of control board issue.
Also since a msg directly to domestic cust service.

az-streamer · 07-28-2018, 09:24 AM

Update 1. Left all power off for 1 hour then turned all back on. Thermostat back to normal readings and all functions operating.

Stay tuned..........

AirEgger · 07-28-2018, 02:41 PM

We've had the "32 degree" problem for a couple years, but only when we winter in south FL. Only occurs on the back unit when we turn it on in the morning. We run the front unit during the night to minimize noise in the rear bedroom. We first noticed this a couple years ago and contacted Dometic, while in FL, and ran their suggested diagnostics to no avail. After returning home we had our AS dealer look at it and everything was fine re the thermostats. Doubt if he checked the plastic catch pans on the roof as was mentioned in an earlier post. We've found that when we turn on the unit in the morning, and it says "32", we do nothing but let the unit run. Without fail, after 30-60 minutes of just the fan running, the thermostat starts reading ambient temp and the compressor kicks in and will run normally all day. The "32" shows up again around 8-9 pm and the compressor shuts down. We then switch to the front unit for the night. We had the AS checked again by the dealer when we returned home after the second winter. Same results, everything ok. Have used both ac's this summer with no problem. Hope we don't, but anticipate the same situation this winter. Have talked to Dometic several times. They suggest waiting until we have a hard failure and then call their local rep.

Fair_Enough · 07-28-2018, 03:03 PM

Have you tried pressing the + and - simultaneously 3 times fairly quickly. Sounds like a Celsius / Fahrenheit issue. I'm going back to sleep now.
WW

az-streamer · 07-28-2018, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirEgger

We've had the "32 degree" problem for a couple years, but only when we winter in south FL. Only occurs on the back unit when we turn it on in the morning. We run the front unit during the night to minimize noise in the rear bedroom. We first noticed this a couple years ago and contacted Dometic, while in FL, and ran their suggested diagnostics to no avail. After returning home we had our AS dealer look at it and everything was fine re the thermostats. Doubt if he checked the plastic catch pans on the roof as was mentioned in an earlier post. We've found that when we turn on the unit in the morning, and it says "32", we do nothing but let the unit run. Without fail, after 30-60 minutes of just the fan running, the thermostat starts reading ambient temp and the compressor kicks in and will run normally all day. The "32" shows up again around 8-9 pm and the compressor shuts down. We then switch to the front unit for the night. We had the AS checked again by the dealer when we returned home after the second winter. Same results, everything ok. Have used both ac's this summer with no problem. Hope we don't, but anticipate the same situation this winter. Have talked to Dometic several times. They suggest waiting until we have a hard failure and then call their local rep.

Thank for sharing your info. Does seem both odd and unfortunate that dometic is unable to figure out the problem- which is not an isolated incident.
Although domestic checked your thermostat did they offer to replace it? Based on what I’ve read it sure seems like it is the probable cause. Unless there is moisture somewhere causing an intermittent short in the a/c control unit.
Since I only have one a/c unit, a non working a/c is a big problem.
I may spring for a new thermostat on my return home to see if it solves the problem. For domestic to recommend Waiting for a ‘hard failure’ might mean buying a complete new heating/cooling system instead of finding a less expensive and less labor heavy problem - not the right way from them to handle a customer service issue.

az-streamer · 07-28-2018, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfwhistle

Have you tried pressing the + and - simultaneously 3 times fairly quickly. Sounds like a Celsius / Fahrenheit issue. I'm going back to sleep now.
WW

I will try that if/when it happens again. The panel does read “f” but the internals might have switched over to “c”. this would seem to confirm that the problem is in the wall thermostat.

Jim Flower · 07-28-2018, 05:24 PM

A bit of a heads up from my first 32 degree failure. I was in Florida and went to a Camping World facility immediately and purchased a new CCC2 thermostat and installed it while in their lot. No change so returned it. They gave me my money back after a bit of a fight. I think Dometic is well aware of the problem but chooses to ignore it due to a potential significant Recall liability due to lousy design in their AC system. It appears Airstream may be a supporter of the charade.

az-streamer · 07-28-2018, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Flower

A bit of a heads up from my first 32 degree failure. I was in Florida and went to a Camping World facility immediately and purchased a new CCC2 thermostat and installed it while in their lot. No change so returned it. They gave me my money back after a bit of a fight. I think Dometic is well aware of the problem but chooses to ignore it due to a potential significant Recall liability due to lousy design in their AC system. It appears Airstream may be a supporter of the charade.

So, it’s not the thermostat. And since the a/c is fine when it runs, it’s not the the a/c compressor, etc.

Just an intermittent problem with the ‘widget’

and domestic shrugs and says....nothing?

Just a ghost in the machine 👻

az-streamer · 07-29-2018, 06:53 AM

Update 2. Saturday night ran the fan on medium all night. Checked a/c Sunday morning at 7:45 and it read 32. Did try the f/c buttons but no change. Decided to let the system run but changed from ‘fan’ to ‘ac’. Just as noted in an earlier post, around 8:45 I heard the compressor kick in. Thermostat now reads the correct ambient temperature.

Conclusion: the on/off electrical hard reset works AND doing nothing works. Go figure.

I will keep posting as things occur in the hope that this info will help someone else with the same problem or that someone will figure out the actual problem and a solution.

OTRA15 · 07-29-2018, 10:16 AM

The Farce is with you!

az-streamer · 07-29-2018, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

The Farce is with you!

I think communications between the thermostat and the a/c controller got ‘jammed’.

AirEgger · 07-29-2018, 01:30 PM

Glad to hear the "do nothing" approach worked for az-streamer. Hope it works for me again this winter. Will continue with it until some day it refuses to switch from 32 to ambient. Will then have to get professional help.

az-streamer · 07-29-2018, 02:28 PM

With my luck the total failure will occur somewhere remote with temps in the 80’s or higher. In a way I would rather have to fix it now rather than wait for ‘someday’.

So while ‘do nothing’ is working the issue is still lurking - waiting to strike. Unless dometic revealed a magic cure.

rmkrum · 07-29-2018, 03:13 PM

I’m glad my thermostat on the wall is only for heat...much simpler.
Two wires, make or break to run heat. AA Batteries for power.

az-streamer · 07-30-2018, 06:14 AM

Update 3: Did not need/use the a/c during the day on Sunday. Did check periodically and the a/c was there if we had needed it.

We were going to go fan only Sunday night but the smoke from nearby campfires were getting in. So, set fan on medium and a/c on 68. (In the past we have set The a/c on 65 since we like it cool at night). Ran all night without issue.

Not sure what this all means but you can add it to the pile of ‘info’ regarding this problem.