Air Conditioner Maintenance Question

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi All,

Laura and I will begin our 2nd season next month of camping with our new to us Casita. I hope to do some cleaning, polishing, and waxing of the exterior (a topic for a different thread), but I am wondering while I am looking at the top of the Casita if there is anything I need to do to the air conditioner? I know I need to clean the interior vents. Do I ever need to remove the exterior cover of the AC for any cleaning, maintenance, etc.? If so, how do you remove the cover? I have looked a bit when I wash the Casita, but I have not really seen an obvious way to remove the AC cover.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Dean

[tractors1]

Nothing to maintain on top. Once in a while I've seen posts about having to remove mud dauber (or bird) nests. When you drop the inside cover to clean the filters, check that the mounting bolts are still snug; they can loosen over time and let the gasket leak water inside.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Charlie Y,

Now that is my kind of maintenance!

Thx,

Dean

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Nothing to maintain on top. Once in a while I've seen posts about having to remove mud dauber (or bird) nests. ...

Yup, when the compressor comes on but the fan wont run, its time to remove the birds nest and the eggs....

[DeanCHS1980]

Hey Gordon,

I have heard of eggs in a nest, but that is a nest on an egg. Definitely something to avoid.

Take care,

Dean

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hey Gordon,

I have heard of eggs in a nest, but that is a nest on an egg. Definitely something to avoid.

Take care,

Dean

Actually it was "eggs in a nest on an egg."

I bought the trailer in Sept 15 and in the spring of 16 it was home to some unwanted sparrows. Not knowing why the fan would not run, and because the trailer was new and under warranty, I was going to take it to a repair shop, But then I took the cover off (easy BTW) and had the A/C running again in less time than it would have taken me to get to the end of my street on the way to the repair shop.

Something to avoid but if it happens, its a easy fix.

[Gerry]

While working as maitainence worker in a campground, I once got a $50 tip for getting a unit on a clients camper to run by cleaning a mouse nest from inside the camper that fouled a fan shaft.

[Darral T.]

Dean...

Another take on it here. In the spring of 2016, I had heard a scrubbing on my Coleman roof unit. To make a long story short, it was a "known" defect in a clamp on the shaft holding the fan. No biggie...right? Well, yes, it turned out to be quite a biggie. As I had to devise a way to access the A/C without climbing on my Scamp. My point is, I was VERY pleased and surprised to see how "clean" the A/C was under the cover. I think I too found a small dauber's nest but nothing disturbing.

When I'm washing my Scamp, I will use the water hose (NOT A PRESSURE WASHER!!) and shoot into the coils- from the ground and through the housing of course. It does NOT hurt the fins- not on my Coleman anyway.

Here's a link to my Flickr account showing what I had to do to my A/C and how I arranged to climb atop my Scamp without endangering the roof. Dave @ Scamp STRICTLY advised *AGAINST* putting my full weight on the roof and I didnt. The only weight I had to put on it was when I was drilling down on the end of the A/C shaft. One thing I didnt point out here is- but it's in the photos- I DID scotch up inside and Dave felt like this alone would have been enough support to climb on top. I didnt because there's not enough room! But again, I felt more at ease when I did have to lean over on the A/C.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57669497300691

Dean you may remember us from Piney....

Darral

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

... Dave @ Scamp STRICTLY advised putting my full weight on the roof and I didnt. ..

Please allow me to insert the missing word...

Originally Posted by Darral T.

... Dave @ Scamp STRICTLY advised against putting my full weight on the roof and I didnt. ..

In fact, I would advise one to put none of your weight on the roof.

[Darral T.]

Thanks Bro! I went back and edited the statement. Good catch and it could have EASILY been taken the wrong way!!

Originally Posted by gordon2

Please allow me to insert the missing word...



In fact, I would advise one to put none of your weight on the roof.

[DeanCHS1980]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

Dean...

Another take on it here. In the spring of 2016, I had heard a scrubbing on my Coleman roof unit. To make a long story short, it was a "known" defect in a clamp on the shaft holding the fan. No biggie...right? Well, yes, it turned out to be quite a biggie. As I had to devise a way to access the A/C without climbing on my Scamp. My point is, I was VERY pleased and surprised to see how "clean" the A/C was under the cover. I think I too found a small dauber's nest but nothing disturbing.

When I'm washing my Scamp, I will use the water hose (NOT A PRESSURE WASHER!!) and shoot into the coils- from the ground and through the housing of course. It does NOT hurt the fins- not on my Coleman anyway.

Here's a link to my Flickr account showing what I had to do to my A/C and how I arranged to climb atop my Scamp without endangering the roof. Dave @ Scamp STRICTLY advised *AGAINST* putting my full weight on the roof and I didnt. The only weight I had to put on it was when I was drilling down on the end of the A/C shaft. One thing I didnt point out here is- but it's in the photos- I DID scotch up inside and Dave felt like this alone would have been enough support to climb on top. I didnt because there's not enough room! But again, I felt more at ease when I did have to lean over on the A/C.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57669497300691

Dean you may remember us from Piney....

Darral

Hi Darral!

Thanks for the link to photos of your AC work. Interesting!

Once I get my ladder(s) or elevation system for polishing & waxing the Casita, I will take a closer look at the AC.

Missed seeing you at the LBL Rally this past fall. Hope to see you in the campground in 2017!

Take care,

Dean

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hi Darral!

Thanks for the link to photos of your AC work. Interesting!

Once I get my ladder(s) or elevation system for polishing & waxing the Casita, I will take a closer look at the AC.

Missed seeing you at the LBL Rally this past fall. Hope to see you in the campground in 2017!

Take care,

Dean

If you want an easy way to wax a fiberglass RV or any vehicle get some polish called The Solution. My bottle has this info for getting it. Super Seal Specialty Company, Inc phone 1-888-299-2136 Super Seal Specialty Company It is expensive around $80 a bottle but we've had ours for several years and have done our 17' Casita 2 or 3 times, our 21 1/2 ft motorhome 2-3 times, and our 3 cars at least 2-3 times. We still have half of it left. All you do is clean your trailer and spray the liquid on with a spray bottle that you will get from the company and dry it off. No climbing up on the top because you can use a rag on anything that you can put it on to reach into the center of the trailer to dry it with. It seals and protects the RV with no waxy build up. It helps with keeping bugs off and washing them off. Our 2007 looks like the day we bought it. Only takes a little while to do the whole trailer since there's no rubbing or polishing.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Jann,

Thanks for the information. I assume this is the product:

The Solution | Best waterless car wash | Super Seal Specialty Company

Take care,

Dean

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hi Jann,

Thanks for the information. I assume this is the product:

The Solution | Best waterless car wash | Super Seal Specialty Company

Take care,

Dean

Yes this is it. We always wash the vehicle unless it is just dusty to get a real good finish. If you do it on a driveway or garage put down paper or cloths so spray doesn't get on concrete. Can make it slippery. You'll never wax a vehicle again if you use this. We put it on an older vehicle 1986 vinyl roof and it looks new again.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Jann,

Got it!!!

Thx,

Dean