air conditioner stopped working

[richinny]

I’m hoping to say my air conditioning unit with your help.

It is the original unit the 94 and is a Dometic. I’m not sure of the model but the control panel has a 4 position blower slide switch on the left that controls the blower fan, an off-on and thermostat slide switches in the center and a three position function slide switch on the right for ac/fan/heat (it has a heat strip in it).

Yesterday we had heavy rain here in Miami. Everything was working fine until about 5 hours later, when the unit blower shut off while in the fan only mode, which runs the fan continuously. The control panel has the lights that are controlled by 12v and they were on. I had power at least as far as the switch that toggles between the ac and the microwave.

At one point the fan would come on for a few seconds and then after 5 or 10 seconds would stop. Soon after that, the lights on the control panel went dark.

I’ve had problems with the 12v power switch on the panel. The contacts are bad. I removed the board and using a continuity tester, made sure the switch was passing current.

Gurus, where do I go from here?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[overlander63]

A guess, without seeing it, would be the circuit board up inside the shroud got water in it and shorted out. If that's the case, you may luck out and be able to dry everything out and get it working again. Maybe. You'll have to remove the shroud on the roof to get to the circuit board, which is located on the right (curb) side of the unit.

[richinny]

thanks terry. i'm glad it is curbside. i have room to work there. those shroud bolts sure look badly rusted. i'll start soaking them at dawn. do you know if that board is fused?

[richinny]

does anyone have a source for this board?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by richinny

does anyone have a source for this board?

http://www.rvdealership.com/rvdstore...rNumber=885555

[richinny]

thanks terry, i called and they'd have to order it. it's worth its weight in gold, lol. there's not enough time to order it before i leave the trailer, so i'll decide in December if i get the board or replace the whole unit with a 15 btu ac.

you ought to get a 900 number for advice!

[tbailey56]

need a capacitor for an armstrong ac on a 1973 Airstream. Does anyone know where I can get a new or used 4 pole capacitor or what I can substitute it with ?

[ck21084]

If you can read the numbers off the side of it(assuming they are still there) I am sure you can get one on line... The voltage is VERY important but the Farad is not. You can get a cap that has a higher f factor and still be ok but going lower will for sure cause you problems..

If you can post a pic and i will take a look at a few of my suppliers.

Chris

[tbailey56]

Thanks. I am unable to get a pic. but it is a long flat cap. and has 4 poles on it. Talked to armstrong and got no help from them. The numbers on the side of the cap. have rubbed off. I can fied 3 pole but everyone I tell about mine having 4 poles , they say they have never heard of one with that many.. I do appreciate your help.

[Beginner]

Email Andy at Inland RV and provide all the pertinant information off the label (Model, Serial Number and any thing else on that label/sticker). He has the capacitance for each blower motor, the compressor and the start cap for the compresor which is on the other side and the working voltage required.
Armed with the information I got from Andy about my daughters Armstrong, I went to a local motor repair shop.
I was told that you cannot the four pode unit so you end up with a large one for one fan motor and the compressor then jump the common terminal to the other cap for the other fan motor and connect it.
Her unit now works fine. We ended up replacing all four caps as the compressor run cap was completely bad and one fan cap as well as the compressor start cap.
You might go to the forums section and search, that information might already be there.
Good Luck
Beginner

[tbailey56]

Thanks for your help