Air Conditioning - AC (current/plug) Problem

Playc

On our first trip today.  After some hitch connect  and off issues we finally are set up at Galveston camp site.

Tried to plug in for ac power only to find none works.  Is it possible that fuses were bloswn? Is there a fuse box I can reset?

Thanks 

RollingLagrima

Yes, the brown box near the floor under the table is the converter/fuse box. Push the top and the face/cover comes down to reveal breakers and fuses.

RollingLagrima

It just occurred to me that there could also be a problem on the power pedestal that your are plugging your 30amp power cord into.  Did you flip the breaker switch at the pedestal to the on position?  Sometimes the switches are mounted upside down at the pedestal so you are actually turning the power off and not on.  I hope you figure out your issue soon.  Good luck.

Cyclonic

One other thing to check, sometimes the fuse on the outlet next to the converter box will also pop. This will disable all of the other outlets.

Nomad

Cyclonic - Had that happen. Took me a bit to realize where the problem was.

RollingLagrima

Are we talking about the GFI to the right?

RZRBUG

RollingLagrima said:

Are we talking about the GFI to the right?

I believe that is correct.  Same thing happened to me, except my GFI is to the left of the converter.

Playc

Thanks you all for the feedback.  It is working now.  On my 2nd camping day in Galveston - very hot and humid.
Our Sofitel is the smallest camper on site.

AldebaranJill

I know this is an old thread, just wanted to add the root cause to my own intermittent AC problems. The cord has a built-in breaker switch, a button on the back. The AC plugs into an outlet that's inside the AC box, and there isn't adequate clearance. While I was driving, the AC would move slightly, enough to press the breaker button. The fit is to tight, that the sidewalls that surround the breaker button to prevent accidental contact, were literally broken off by the time I discovered this issue. The dealer had no interest in helping me, by relocating the AC plug.

So I pulled the cord out and hung it to the side of the AC, and if I need it, I plug it into one of the lower AC outlets. Long term I need to relocate the AC outlet that's in the box, since it makes no sense to have a breaker switch that requires me to remove the entire AC unit to press a button to reset it.

Has anyone else had this issue?
Jill

Michigan_Mike

Jill, can you post up any photos?   What model T@B unit do you have?  And I'm wondering why your air conditioning unit is moving around inside the storage compartment as that doesn't sound normal?  

I would look at a means of preventing it from moving as I've got screws that go up through the bottom of the wood storage compartment, holds and secures the unit in place and prevents any movement, and the cord with the re-set button plugs into the electric receptacle on the outside face of the air conditioner storage box.  

The electric receptacle should be located "outside" of the storage area where the air conditioning unit sits, not inside.  At any rate this should be an easy fix and anyone with electrical knowledge and background should be able to easily resolve your issue.
  

AldebaranJill

Hi Mike,
Thank you for the message!

It's not that the AC is moving around, it's that there is zero clearance to the breaker switch.

Sometimes even when you push the AC in, and screw it down, that's enough to press the button. I also have the screws that go up through the bottom of the wood storage. But if your electric receptacle is actually outside the AC box, then that's a totally different location. I confess I don't recall which type of T@B I have. It has a shower, if that helps. If we do have the same arrangement, can you show me where your AC outlet is located?

Here are photos you requested:


Why are their these metal plates taped to the rear of the unit?

Nomad

That's weird - Every one I''ve seen is plugged in outside the box like this...

Tabaz

Search "how to remove the air conditioner" for more photos of the proper location of the outlet.

ericnliz

Jill, It might just be me, but your photo of the plug in receptical does not look like a factory receptical. Like PXL mentioned, all the ones I have seen are on the exterior of the A/C cabinet as well. Makes me wonder why someone would move it though.

AldebaranJill

Wow, so the cord just goes through a hole and the entire end of cord/plug/breaker is plugged into an outlet that's mounted to sidewall of AC box. That is hilarious. Just hilarious. Makes me wonder if the person who installed my AC was under the influence. :-) I hope there's clearance to the left inside the box for the outlet mounting, will do this today! 

ericnliz

Jill, Those are called "Beer Goggles"!

AldebaranJill

ericnliz said:

Jill, Those are called "Beer Goggles"!

  LOL!

Okay, so my apparently Beer Goggled AC Installer didn't, of course, leave me enough spare wire to route around the back of the AC box to get to the side wall. I can route the wire under the AC support bars. But now I am wondering if this is the drain pan are that might have water in it? Which means the only way to fix my Beer Googled AC Installation to have it like the rest of you lucky folks, is to add another section of Romex? Or is this area okay to route wires through?

Here's a photo of proposal: (note there is just not quite enough room between the vertical metal support bars on the right hand side to mount it there, unless I find a narrower outlet box)

Feedback please :-)

AldebaranJill

ericnliz said:

Jill, It might just be me, but your photo of the plug in receptical does not look like a factory receptical. Like PXL mentioned, all the ones I have seen are on the exterior of the A/C cabinet as well. Makes me wonder why someone would move it though.

I am the only owner, bought it new, and I don't think the AC was installed by the dealer, but I suppose that's possible? Either way, it hasn't been moved. I remember calling them right after I bought it and discovered the problem asking why they put an outlet inside the box, and they just ignored my calls. Since I live in Seattle, I don't use the AC much, but now that I have a renewed desire to travel, I want to get this done properly. Makes me wonder though...

Nomad

That bottom metal tray is the drip pan so not sure I'd run it there. Looks like that wire runs down thru the shower wall. If so you should be able to get at it and it's source and probably run a whole new, longer wire. Might be able to get at it behind the mirror also.
Another possibility is replace the cable out of the AC unint with a real long one, run that down thru the wall and mount the outlet under the drivers side bench seat.

AldebaranJill

PXLated said:

That bottom metal tray is the drip pan so not sure I'd run it there. Looks like that wire runs down thru the shower wall. If so you should be able to get at it and it's source and probably run a whole new, longer wire. Might be able to get at it behind the mirror also.
Another possibility is replace the cable out of the AC unint with a real long one, run that down thru the wall and mount the outlet under the drivers side bench seat.

Yup, it runs down the shower wall then into the WFCO Converter, and I am loathe to open that up.

Your other idea is interesting, although I would prefer to have it easily accessible like everyone else has it.

It's about two feet short, is there a reason I can't just add two feet of Romex (wire nuts or soldering)?

Verna

Does the A/C unit have a 6' cord? If so, you could run the cord out the left side, use clamps to attach it to the bottom of the enclosure, and then the outlet could be installed on the cabin side of the bathroom wall. (Be careful of the pipes going to the shower.)

cmac

Might be able to get a correct length replacement cord at Home Depot or Lowe's.

AldebaranJill

Hi Verna,
Yes, it has a 6' cord. The only way I've been using the AC, is to have the wire come out in the lower left corner (where I'm pointing to) and then I hang the cord on a hook on the side of the box. When I need to plug in, I run the cord behind the seat cushions to the outlet near the floor. So for me, having a wire coming out at that location and running externally outside the box to the sidewall, is very close to what I'm doing now, except there would be another hole in the cabin side of the bathroom wall.



I very much appreciate everyone's ideas! If only my Romex was a little longer... Now I wonder if the person who installed it, made a mistake with the Romex length and that's why they put the outlet inside the AC box, instead of replacing the Romex.

Is there a reason why I couldn't use a standard house outlet (assuming a junction box would fit) and stranded wire (for the length) and solder it to the existing  Romex? Or solder an extra length of Romex?

Tabaz

This should be an easy fix. Get a longer run of Romex and replace the current wire. Use the existing wire as a fish tape to snake the new (longer) Romex to the desired location. OK to use a standard 110 v outlet and remodel outlet box. All available at any hardware store. The crawl space behind the shower wall allows easy access for the new wire.  Disconnect the battery and shore power prior to proceeding. 

Tabaz

Just an observation, but this does not look anything near a factory installation. Did the prior owner decide to add an A/C unit after the fact? If so, that would explain a lot.

AldebaranJill

Hi Outback,
There is no previous owner, I bought this brand new in 2013, had to even wait a while for delivery to get just the config I wanted. I am mystified, you should have seen my face when I saw the photo of how it's supposed to be installed.

I think your recommendation is the best long term solution - how hard will it be to remove the back panel of the WFCO 8735 and disconnect the old Romex and reconnect the new longer Romex?

Verna

@AldebaranJill, so if you were to drill a hole in the left side of cabinet, take the cord out that hole and the 6' cord would not reach to the bathroom wall where you could install the A/C outlet in a new place outside of the A/C cabinet?  

Tabaz

Jill - you must have a very early TAB with the A/C unit.  The factory is continuously making improvements.  So let's all work on getting your TAB up to current standards. Looks like we have 3 areas: (1) new, longer Romex run, (2) new cooling fan with fan switch and (3) better baffles on the rear of your AC unit. Thankfully we have all winter to work on this!  Just kidding. I'll check out the back of my converter tomorrow for the Romex run. Those baffles you have look too restrictive. They need to be opened up.  I'll get the model number of the cooling fan vent. Anyone else want to help with this?

Photomom

Does she need to connect the new Romex to the converter or could connect a new piece to the end of the existing piece? Perhaps inside a junction box to replace that existing outlet? I'm not an electrician but I know the outlets in my house don't all run directly to the breaker panel.

TabberJohn

Can a moderator split posts when the subject drifts?
The original thread was about lack of AC electrical power while recent posts are an A/C issue.
I see how that was easy to mix-up but now the thread title and content don't mesh. 

Nomad

TabberJohn... Yes we can but it's still related to the AC electrical so to me in the same vein. Maybe modify the title?