How to Remove the Air Conditioner

Tabaz

Some observations:

The A/C unit weighs 37 pounds.

The cord is long enough to set the unit on the seat pedestal.

The outlet it plugs into must be removed to slip the cord out of the outlet opening if you need to remove the A/C from the trailer (very simple to do).

The unit itself is NOT taped to the surrounding frame or outside grill (the unit comes out without having to remove any tape).

The drain pan drain hole is at the front of the opening close to the aux A/C switch (the black "oval" in the second picture below is the top of the round opening behind the shower mirror).

Looking up from the floor of the T@B to the bottom of the A/C cabinet, you see a white panel.  THAT is the actual plastic drain pan (do not screw anything into it).

That white plastic lip behind the wood fascia opening on the bottom is the drain pan (Picture #5 below).  you must lift the A/C over that lip to get it out.

The A/C has four screws on the bottom that protrude.  You must lift the unit up high enough to clear those screws (slightly difficult).

The aux fan is mounted to the interior roof of the A/C cabinet.  It vents out the T@B roof from a round black plastic vent near the driver's side.

You can see from the pictures how much dirt makes its way in from the outside grill.  It may be a good idea to remove the A/C once a year and clean the pan to keep it from clogging.

Let me know if any of you have any questions while the unit is out these next several days.  Hope this helps.

 

Tabaz

Just noticed my aux fan is installed to bring in air from the outside via the roof vent into the A/C cabinet.  Hmm. I'm going to call Ed on Monday and see if that's correct.

Photomom

The pictures look like rain could come through the screen and run down the wall instead of being caught in the pan. Is that the case?

jkjenn

Photomom said:

The pictures look like rain could come through the screen and run down the wall instead of being caught in the pan. Is that the case?

Maybe if that side were facing  wind driven rain. It has never happened to me, though.

@OutbackAZ - thanks for posting. I am going to be installing the fan so this is will help me know how to remove without doing something terrible.

Tabaz

The exterior vent on the sidewall looks like it does a great job of deflecting any "normal" rain.  Jenn - when you say "installing the fan" do you mean the aux fan for the A/C cabinet?  If so, do you have the roof vent already installed - you're just missing the fan?  If so, I'll get you the model number and size of the fan if you'd like.

jkjenn

OutbackAZ said:

The exterior vent on the sidewall looks like it does a great job of deflecting any "normal" rain.  Jenn - when you say "installing the fan" do you mean the aux fan for the A/C cabinet?  If so, do you have the roof vent already installed - you're just missing the fan?  If so, I'll get you the model number and size of the fan if you'd like.

Thanks, @OutbackAZ . Yes, the auxiliary fan. I am picking it up the factory, so I won't need the number. I am going to pick up that fan and the Norcold aux fan. Vacationing in Southern Utah and the AZ strip in July has me thinking it will be good to keep things as cool as possible.

sabel

So what keeps the AC unit from popping out of the opening while going over bump? Is the unit attached somehow other than gravity? 

Tabaz

That thin plastic lip from the drain pan definitely keeps it from moving forward. Also the wood frame that covers the opening. The unit itself sits on several aluminum rails. It isn't going to going to fall out of its cabinet by any means.

sabel

So how is the AC unit actually removed from the cabinet if the pan is preventing it from moving?

Tabaz

Sabel - you simply lift the front of the A/C unit enough to clear the bottom plastic lip.  Takes a little bit of effort because of the plastic frame on the bottom of the A/C unit.  You can see that once the unit is in the cabinet, it can't slide out or move left to right.

sabel

Took a look today. The bottom of my AC cabinet is veneer plywood and has two screws in it. Bet the screws scure the AC unit to the cabinet.

jkjenn

sabel said:

Took a look today. The bottom of my AC cabinet is veneer plywood and has two screws in it. Bet the screws scure the AC unit to the cabinet.

Mine has the veneer plywood, too. I will let you know in a few weeks, but I would sooner think it holds the drip tray.

Tabaz

Sabel - that's interesting you have two screws in the plywood. If they're securing the a/c unit, they must pass through the drip pan (if it covers the entire bottom of the cabinet like mine).

ChanW

Sabel, sounds like yours is like mine, which is pretty different from OutbackAZ's.

Those two screws go into the bottom of the unit, holding it in the box.

My drain tray is metal, and the front of the ac-unit was taped to the vent area, to create a kind of baffle system.

Ours was too early for that auxiliary fan, we only have the small vent pipe sticking out the roof.

sabel said:

Took a look today. The bottom of my AC cabinet is veneer plywood and has two screws in it. Bet the screws scure the AC unit to the cabinet.

Tabaz

Regarding the roof vent for the AC cabinet, sent Ed an email asking if the aux fan should be drawing air from the roof vent into the AC cabinet, or drawing air from the AC cabinet into the roof vent.  He replied that the aux fan should be drawing air from the roof into the cabinet.  The fan has an arrow on the side showing the direction of airflow.  Make sure the arrow is pointing down into the cabinet.  Just an FYI for those putting in the aux fan as a mod.

BatHusband

Outback, sorry to raise this thread again but I need to ask ask a minor question.  We are contemplating (read - Randi is contemplating -  I am following orders) replacing the a/c unit with an "enhanced" model (http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-Window-Mounted-Mini-Compact-Conditioner-Full-Function/dp/B00IYQY1YI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1462562731&sr=8-3&keywords=mini+compact+air+conditioner&refinements=p_72:2661618011).  Is the power cord from the unit into the wall box unique, or just a plain ol' receptacle? If it is, I may actually have the skills to do this mod.

Tabaz

BatHusband - Yep, just a plain old 110V outlet.  The process to remove the AC cord attached to the unit is really simple: Unplug the cord from the existing AC unit.  Remove the plastic cover from the outlet. After you remove the actual AC unit from the opening, you can then loosen the two little "wings" holding the outlet box to the paneling.  Swing the wings in, and the outlet box should fall into the cabinet opening.  You can now feed the old AC cord through the larger opening of the outlet box.  Reverse the process with the new AC cord.

Tabaz

Oops! the outlet box comes out of the paneling from the outside - does not "fall" into the cabinet.  Either way, you do not have to remove the actual outlet from the outlet box.  The only "electrical" work needed is plugging the outlet cord into the outlet.  As a safety measure, make sure you are not connected to shore power.

Tabaz

Boo - I re-installed the AC weeks ago.  I had to remove it to check the drip pan for a screw I thought might have penetrated it relating to another project.  I'm sure the outside measurements can be found on the Internet.  It's the the small Frigidaire unit BatHusband mentions above.

BatHusband

Outback - So let me see if I have this correct.  Pull out the unit, place my left foot against the wall, and yank real hard.   Thank you.  You just saved us some money.  Boo, as soon as I get to it I will measure it.  According to my wife, the unit we have in mind is the duplicate of what we currently have.  Still, i need to confirm that.  Thanks for the swift response Outback.

Tabaz

Boo - the aluminum frame the factory AC unit sits on in the wood cabinet appears to be model-specific (i.e. the AC unit is cradled by the aluminum supports).  Plus, the front opening in the wood cabinet has very little extra clearance for the current unit.  It would be extremely difficult to squeeze a larger AC unit through that hole.

Tabaz

BatHusband - I suggest you take the outside grill off the trailer before removing the current AC unit and take some photos of how the metal-taped baffles at the rear of the AC unit fit.  You'll need to take those baffles off the current unit and re-tape them on the new model before putting it in the cabinet.  I suggest you apply new metal tape to the baffles on the new unit.  Also make sure you model doesn't have screws holding it in from the bottom like Sabel!

kbjoch

New owner of T@b 2013 & hot in Texas - This is a great thread as I might be replacing my ac soon. My husband mentioned charging the unit which Boo also suggested but wouldn't a tech charge more than the cost of a new 5000-5700 BTU unit.  First day home, I plugged the trailer in with a dog bone to 15 amp and  had to reset breaker twice. It took the original Frigidaire 11 hours to cool from 10am to 9pm. Also the original owner never used it nor maintained it so Texas heat is making me have to re-caulk everything and re-glue some of shower wall. Thanks all for any advice.

Tabaz

KB - A new 5,000 BTU unit is $134 with free shipping from Amazon (search for Frigidaire-FFRA0511R1).  This is the same unit in my 2016.  Not sure if LG changed it from your model year.  Not sure what it would cost to take your old unit in for service.  If you do decide to take out your old unit, remove the outside A/C vent grill and take some photos of the metal baffling held together with aluminum tape and how it fits in the opening.  You want to make sure the new unit's baffling matches the old.  Also, another forum member (bat-husband?) went with an electronic model.  It is slightly larger than the model referenced above but has a thermostat.

SweetlyHome

Not sure which models have what in this regard.  However, in some cases the factory modifies the AC unit by drilling extra holes in the base and internal areas.  This was/is meant to eliminate puddling etc. within the unit.  Just a caution to review the AC unit in all regards when replacing.

AldebaranJill

Is there supposed to be that little AC cooling fan installed when you get AC put in by the dealer? I don't have one.. (2013) In reading over the thread, it looks like some add it on later, if so, is there a make/model number and where do you tap into power?

Tabaz

It's a standard computer cooling fan. 12 volt. You can pull power from the 12 volt television line, or run a new one. You'll also need to add a 12 volt on/off switch. The fan blows air into the A/C cabinet. I think the fan became standard in 2014/2015 model year.

AldebaranJill

Gotcha - will proceed with AC overhaul per your checklist  
Now it makes sense why it performed so poorly the two times I tried using it.

Traveler

Wish I would have checked the forum before I pulled out my AC unit this summer to remove mud dauber nests in the cooling fan!  I am almost eligible for Medicare and a Grandma to five grandkids who love our T@B! I was able to take out the AC unit by myself. Getting it back in and adjusted to the baffle was not easy, but I did it. The screen under the outside air vent was not installed correctly and our Texas red wasps found their way in. Shoulda/coulda added the insulation mention by Pop T@B if only I did my homework first!  

Nomad

Congrats on doing it. My screen was a little off also - Fixed

LauraRey

This is helpful. Thanks for posting the photos.  I won't need an A/C very often and had been hoping there was a way to remove it and use the space for storage instead.