Air loss, Coolcat ducts under the bench seat, smell AC air. Ducts and manifold.

jimcenname

The Coolcat on my 2019 T@B400 rusted out, yes, rust, so much that I had rust stains on the outside under the condensation drain holes. Anyway, Dometic provided a replacement under their two-year warranty. The Dometic authorized dealer installed it fairly well. A few months later now I hear air leaking from the duct manifold on the unit. Once I opened the seating area I saw the leak and repair was fairly easy with 3M aluminum duct tape. While I was in the neighborhood I soaked the inside of the ductwork with industrial strength Fabreeze to treat a mildew smell. It was a smell I've also experience in many auto ACs. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@jimcenname - is it safe to assume that you use the CoolCat a lot since you are full time?  

jimcenname

@Sharon_is_SAM
I spend the winter in the southwest so I use the Coolcat many days or weeks per month during that season. Otherwise I use it also everyday in the summer, spring and fall. Note, I use my Alde everyday at least for hot water, almost everyday for night time heat. I set the cabin temperature to 69*F every night including summers. I believe the rust on the coolcat is not normal, the service facility thought so too, which was required for Dometic to authorize the warranty replacement. So far the new coolcat looks good.

Sharon_is_SAM

I was wondering about the effects of condensation.  I know using a lot of LPG via the stove leads to condensation.

jimcenname

@Sharon_is_SAM : This past winter was the greatest challenge while near the coast in southern California. Regarding propane: I don't use my stove, my fridge is always 110VAC when parked, and I only use propane in the Alde to temporarily boost the heat in the cabin, otherwise I use 110VAC. Overnight I did get condensation on the inside of the fan covers, one in the cabin and the other in the bathroom. I get a fair bit on the door window and a little on the front and rear window. I use a removable insulation pad on the bathroom fan and that solved that problem. The cabin fan is a Maxxair that I can run at a low speed with the lid closed. That air movement eliminated almost all of that condensation. I fold a hand towel and insert it between the door window and the door blind and eliminated all of that condensation. Condensation on the front and rear windows is minimal enough that I wipe it up in the morning. When I am in NV or AZ it's dry enough that condensation does not occur. I prefer not to open windows, it becomes too difficult to maintain the 69*F temp I enjoy while sleeping.

Judyb

The smell is referred to as the dirty sock syndrome and was discovered in the 1980's in the hvac industry where I worked. It's caused by a microorganism growing on the evaporator coil aluminum fins. Spraying a disinfectant spray such as Lysol in the air inlet of any type of a/c including residential, RV, room air, hotel PTAC or auto a/c will solve the problem by killing the organisms and not just mask the smell.

jimcenname

Good to know, I want sure what was a safe treatment for the AC fins.