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2016 A/C Cools ONLY on Maximum

SqueakSqueak Member Posts: 1
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Hi everyone! :-)

My husband and I are proud owners of a 2016 Max S, and we've been enjoying camping up a storm all summer!

I have one quick question:

Does anyone else have a problem with the A/C ONLY cooling on its highest level? I feel like, with 7 levels of cooling available, we should have the ability to select a level somewhere between "cooling" and "not cooling", which we don't seem to have.

When on maximum cooling, the cooling is EXCELLENT. Very cold. However, if I turn it down to even just level 6, the cooling stops, and the unit basically functions like a fan. There's no distinction between levels 1 or 2, and level 6. ONLY maximum cooling cools.

Anyone else have this issue? Should I put in a warranty claim, or is this just the way these units work?

Thanks! :-)
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Comments

  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    No problem here. I'd at least give Ed at the factory a call and see what they suggest.
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  • JandJ92010JandJ92010 Member Posts: 304
    Sounds like a bad thermostat. It won't cool on a lower setting when it's hot inside? I could see that if it's cooled down, then you turn it down, it would switch to fan. That would be normal. Yea, call Ed.
    The HobbiT@B, 2015-L, towed by a2014 RAM C/V
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Hmm, we noticed that the air didn't "feel" cool until we set ours on nearly the highest setting. Only used it one evening though so didn't get a chance to investigate, and I've never used a window air conditioner so I don't know what's "normal." I did notice that the air coming out of the A/C vent was quite hot.

    Unfortunately my garage outlet doesn't have the oomph to run the A/C at home, so will have to wait till next camping trip to check it out.

    If you find out anything, please let us all know.

    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,366
    It will be 108 tomorrow in Phoenix and I have a 30 amp outlet next to the TAB.  I'll fire up the A/C and see if it works on the lower settings.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition,
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • RollingLagrimaRollingLagrima Member Posts: 435
    Mine does not kick on to cooling mode, on anything lower than the 7 setting.  If I am too cold, I have to get up and switch it to LOW COOL vs HIGH COOL (slightly less noisy is the only difference I sense) and again only on the 7 level.  Otherwise (1-6) feels like just a fan, as noted by others.  I had the exact same AC unit in my Silver Shadow and it operated similarly, so I just figured that was the norm...The good news for me is that I am rarely if ever cold.
    Sally, "PlaT@Bus" 2016 T@B Sofitel Maxx-S (plata=silver; SP), previously Little Guy 2014 Silver Shadow LE, TV -- 2013 Chevy Avalanche + two hounds.
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Where the heck is the hot air that comes out the vent, and I mean hot, coming from if it is working in fan mode? Something seems amiss.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    OutbackAZ said:
    It will be 108 tomorrow in Phoenix and I have a 30 amp outlet next to the TAB.  I'll fire up the A/C and see if it works on the lower settings.
    At 108, you'd think it would kick on at any setting.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    RollingLagrima said:
    Mine does not kick on to cooling mode, on anything lower than the 7 setting.  If I am too cold, I have to get up and switch it to LOW COOL vs HIGH COOL (slightly less noisy is the only difference I sense) and again only on the 7 level.  Otherwise (1-6) feels like just a fan, as noted by others.  I had the exact same AC unit in my Silver Shadow and it operated similarly, so I just figured that was the norm...The good news for me is that I am rarely if ever cold.
    My 2015 T@bitha's AC is the same. I figured it was just the window unit's quirk. I do the low cool - high cool thing too.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    If I choose a lower number, the fan continues but you can hear the compressor kick on and off and feel that the air is cooler when it kicks in. The hotest I've been in has been 107 and several 97s this year.
    The only diff between Low/High Cool seems to be the fan speed.
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,366
    "At 108, you'd think it would kick on at any setting."
    LOL!
    I'll test it starting first thing in the morning when it's only 84.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition,
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Was in a little ghost town in SD for that 107 - You'd have thought I was in AZ for crying out loud. Fled to a riverside campground, trees/shade, got the generator out and fired up the AC
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  • vanderadovanderado Member Posts: 17
    edited July 2016
    We leave A/C set at maximum and this device turns it off when camper gets to XX temperature. The quiet is nice when not running.

    https://www.amazon.com/Lux-Heating-Cooling-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000E7NYY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468003265&sr=8-1&keywords=thermostat+plug
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  • jdargisjdargis Member Posts: 305
    When it is hot and leave for the day with the a/c on, we set the dial at 6 and it maintains the trailer temperature at 80 degrees.  Also, I made a a/c deflector out of 1/8 " hobby plywood, which I attach with Velcro, for maximum cooling,  otherwise, it seems to take forever to cool down, when the trailer is hot.
    , 
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    vanderado said:
    We leave A/C set at maximum and this device turns it off when camper gets to XX temperature. The quiet is nice when not running.

    https://www.amazon.com/Lux-Heating-Cooling-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000E7NYY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468003265&sr=8-1&keywords=thermostat+plug
    That this works kind of implies that wherever the air conditioner's temperature sensor is located it is not really sensing the  actual cabin temperature.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Photomom - Think it's that it shuts the whole air conditioner off so the fan doesn't run. Without that, the compressor shuts off - thermostat working - but the fan always runs.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    jdargis - I did the same (deflector) but just used cheap sign plastic. Gonna have to make one like yours that looks better.
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  • vanderadovanderado Member Posts: 17
    PXLated - Yes, you got it, that device turns the A/C on or off depending on cabin temperature. The device is wired between the wall and the A/C plug. The shut off temperature is adjustable. We leave the A/C on "7" and let the device monitor the temperature to tell the A/C if it needs to be on or off.
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  • Spruce1Spruce1 Member Posts: 100
    Our experience is the same as Squeaks. In our 2014 S Max we leave the temp dial at or near the coldest setting. We switch between high cold, low cold, and off.
    2014 T@B-S
    2019 Honda Ridgeline, AWD, V6, 5,000 lbs towing capacity
    Minnesota
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  • RamrodRamrod Member Posts: 164
    It does not work well when the sun is hitting the roof.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ramrod - Trees are a wonderful thing :-)
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    PXLated said:
    Ramrod - Trees are a wonderful thing :-)
    Except when they fall during a storm and you're around to hear them... after being woken up by the thunder/lightning and torrential downpour.. while in a T@B. I always feel sorry for the ground dwellers during those times.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Ratkity said:
    PXLated said:
    Ramrod - Trees are a wonderful thing :-)
    Except when they fall during a storm and you're around to hear them... after being woken up by the thunder/lightning and torrential downpour.. while in a T@B. I always feel sorry for the ground dwellers during those times.
    Many years ago we were tent camping near Old Forge NY during a storm. We were okay but the next morning discovered that a large tree had fallen on a pop up, totally destroying it. Never found out what happened to the occupants. Always take a good look at trees before camping under them!
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,366
    Test Results - 94 degrees in the TAB, A/C temperature set to "1," then turned knob to Low Fan.  Compressor did not kick on.  Turned knob to Low Cool and compressor kicked on immediately.  Compressor stayed on as the temperature knob was moved slowly from "1" to "7."  Not sure if this little test helps.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition,
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    OutbackAZ said:
    Test Results - 94 degrees in the TAB, A/C temperature set to "1," then turned knob to Low Fan.  Compressor did not kick on.  Turned knob to Low Cool and compressor kicked on immediately.  Compressor stayed on as the temperature knob was moved slowly from "1" to "7."  Not sure if this little test helps.
    Low fan wouldn't provide cooling. Low cool should provide cooling, but maybe not enough for AZ today. 

    Next week will be a challenge at Tearstock. Low to mid 90's every day with the possibility of thunderstorms Wed and Thurs. This is the type of weather we had last year. It was so warm last year that I made Sunny stay inside in the A/C and she thought she was being punished. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,366
    Verna - I started the test on Low Fan just to see if the compressor would kick on when the knob was turned to Low Cool (it did).
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition,
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    OutbackAZ said:
    Verna - I started the test on Low Fan just to see if the compressor would kick on when the knob was turned to Low Cool (it did).
    Great!  
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • ccandersoccanderso Member Posts: 1
    We have the same issue with our Tab Max S 2016.  The air conditioner seems to be very temperamental.  We leave it at 7 and Max fan most of the time.  The inside temperature is not steady, but moves relative to the outside temperature.  So, on a hot day, sitting in the shade,under a tree, in the afternoon, our temperature will be around 84 to 88 degrees.  I am not overly pleased although it is better than nothing.  It does not seem to have adequate btu's. Also, if you turn the dial, you can only turn it one notch and must wait at least 5 min before you turn it to another notch.  If you do not, it completely stops cooling.
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    I wonder if different model air conditioners work differently. Mine is a Danby and I suspect that is what is being installed currently. Do other brands behave better?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,366
    I have the Kenmore 253.86050 in my 2016 Outback.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition,
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Mine's a Fridgidaire.
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