I might have killed the A/C

jkjenn

After several days in 100+ heat, the compressor kicked off today. Hoping it just needed a rest and works when we return. It's the Frigidaire model. Moab is the next destination.

Nomad

Hmmmm - I was holed up at various brothers homes in 97 degree heat with the air on mostly 24/7 for almost three weeks without a glitch - Frigidair ... Hope it kicks back in Jenn.

Note - Longest I've ever been hooked up. Usually I don't, just put out the solar as normal but the heat was extrodinair this year. Back on the road now - anymore hookup time and I'd have gone soft :-)

jkjenn

PXLated said:

Hmmmm - I was holed up at various brothers homes in 97 degree heat with the air on mostly 24/7 for almost three weeks without a glitch - Frigidair ... Hope it kicks back in Jenn.

Note - Longest I've ever been hooked up. Usually I don't, just put out the solar as normal but the heat was extrodinair this year. Back on the road now - anymore hookup time and I'd have gone soft :-)

Thanks. After 8 straight weeks of boondocking, so many days in a row is probably making me soft, but the temps have been over 100 for 4 straight days for us already. Rocky needs a/c. 

Nomad

Don't blame ya - The heat/humidity has been bad in the midwest since I got back in June. Last year only needed the gen and A/C for a week. Now this week is plesant, 58 tonight.

DeeDee

Welcome to Utah. Things are expected to cool down slightly over the next few days. 

ScottG

jkjenn said:

...but the temps have been over 100 for 4 straight days for us already. Rocky needs a/c. 

I think I need a/c just reading your description!  :-)

jkjenn

A/C was working fine when we returned. It must have needed a break.

Verna

jkjenn said:

A/C was working fine when we returned. It must have needed a break.

Maybe the thermal breaker blew, needed a rest and then decided to try keeping you and Rocky cool again

Michigan_Mike

I just placed an order today at Home Depot on a new AC unit for the T@B and one that has the remote control unit.  I asked Ed Kauffman about this and he gave me this manufacturer number as the correct one that will fit into the opening of the T@B:  

Frigidaire Model # FFRA0522R1

JandJ92010

Most A/C compressors do have a thermal overload in them to protect them. Get too hot and they shut down, let it cool as you did and they start back up. Good to see that yours works.

jkjenn said:

A/C was working fine when we returned. It must have needed a break.

RZRBUG

Jenn, I suppose you've thought of this, but a clogged filter will add to the A/C heat buildup.  Those filters get dirty much more quickly than you might imagine.  Mine was almost totally clogged when I last cleaned it, mostly because I have a dog that sheds pretty bad, but it hadn't been that long since it was cleaned.  I assume where you are can be rather dusty as well.  Wouldn't hurt to check.

jkjenn

Thanks, Larry. Yeah, the filter was the first thing we checked. It wasn't too bad, actually.  I was relieved it wasn't toast and relieved to know it can be replaced without too much trouble.

USWildflowers

Michigan_Mike said:

I just placed an order today at Home Depot on a new AC unit for the T@B and one that has the remote control unit.  I asked Ed Kauffman about this and he gave me this manufacturer number as the correct one that will fit into the opening of the T@B:  

Frigidaire Model # FFRA0522R1

Hey Mike, I looked at FFRA0522R1 online, and it looked like it didn't come with a remote. Model # FFRE0533Q1 is $30 more at HD, but does have a remote, slightly higher EER, is rated at a bit quieter, and appears to be the same physical size.

Verna

USWildflowers said:

Michigan_Mike said:

I just placed an order today at Home Depot on a new AC unit for the T@B and one that has the remote control unit.  I asked Ed Kauffman about this and he gave me this manufacturer number as the correct one that will fit into the opening of the T@B:  

Frigidaire Model # FFRA0522R1

Hey Mike, I looked at FFRA0522R1 online, and it looked like it didn't come with a remote. Model # FFRE0533Q1 is $30 more at HD, but does have a remote, slightly higher EER, is rated at a bit quieter, and appears to be the same physical size.

Gerry, here's a quote from the one that Mike referenced:

"Full function remote control and remote thermostat allow you to precisely control the temperature and fan speed from across the room "

USWildflowers

Yep, you're right. In my switching back and forth between A/C descriptions, I must've flipped to the wrong one.

Sharon_is_SAM

Mike, are you replacing the Danby AC?  Do you know if PV will place the Frigidaire Model with a build order?

jkjenn

I think the issue could be icing. We arrived in Moab and the compressor wouldn't start. Came back a few hours after turning it off and it worked. You would have thought the drive from Kodachrome to Moab in 105 degree temps (with many stops)  would have been enough to melt, though. I turned the temps up and to low cool when we left for sunrise this AM and we will grab the pup and give it a proper rest today to try to prevent the icing 

Ratkity

Ut oh, the icing means low coolant or bad thermostat. Good luck in getting a diagnosis!

JandJ92010

Ratkity said:

Ut oh, the icing means low coolant or bad thermostat. Good luck in getting a diagnosis!

Yeah, I agree, A/C freeze up's mean the charge of gas is low.

Michigan_Mike

boo said:

Michigan_Mike, did you go with a 5000 btu unit or bump up to a 6000 or 8000 btu unit?.

Boo, the 5000 BTU unit is built to specs for the T@B so that's the size I ordered.  I just received notification this afternoon that it will be here tomorrow.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Mike, which AC brand are you replacing?

JandJ92010

JandJ92010 said:

Ratkity said:

Ut oh, the icing means low coolant or bad thermostat. Good luck in getting a diagnosis!

Yeah, I agree, A/C freeze up's mean the charge of gas is low.

Oops, forgot to mention that a dirty filter can also cause the unit to freeze up, because of not enough air going through the evaporator coil.

jkjenn

So, it actually was not freezing as I suspected. It just couldn't keep up with 100+ degree weather.i will have enough to look into ways of improving the situation.

DurangoTaB

Jenn...I'm curious...how often do you go in/out of the T@B during the day?  We have a 5,000BTU A/C in a window for 900sq.ft. in our townhouse, that has kept it cool (not cold) during these 90+ degree days we've been having...BUT, if I go in/out of the house (e.g. to grill something), it really heats the house back up.

I could also say "altitude is everything", but you already know that ;-)

jkjenn

The warm-up happened when we had been in the T@b for a couple of hours the first time. My T@b did not come with an a/c vent  or fan. My brother claims that these units are not designed to cool the air more than 20 degrees cooler than it is outside. At 105 degrees, that leaves the inside at 85. 

JandJ92010

jkjenn said:

The warm-up happened when we had been in the T@b for a couple of hours the first time. My T@b did not come with an a/c vent  or fan. My brother claims that these units are not designed to cool the air more than 20 degrees cooler than it is outside. At 105 degrees, that leaves the inside at 85. 

That sounds rather strange to me. There should be a 20 degree drop between the air temp. going into the A/C and what is coming out of it. But that may vary depending on the inside ambient temp. If it's really hot in your trailer and you turn your A/C on, it may take a while to get the 20 degree drop. A/C does not cool the air, it removes the heat, and sometimes that takes awhile.

jkjenn

JandJ92010 said:

jkjenn said:

The warm-up happened when we had been in the T@b for a couple of hours the first time. My T@b did not come with an a/c vent  or fan. My brother claims that these units are not designed to cool the air more than 20 degrees cooler than it is outside. At 105 degrees, that leaves the inside at 85. 

That sounds rather strange to me. There should be a 20 degree drop between the air temp. going into the A/C and what is coming out of it. But that may vary depending on the inside ambient temp. If it's really hot in your trailer and you turn your A/C on, it may take a while to get the 20 degree drop. A/C does not cool the air, it removes the heat, and sometimes that takes awhile.

Actually, air conditioners remove heat and humidity. There was almost no humidity where I was, at the time, but plenty of heat!

It was usually above 90 degrees outside when the a/c struggled, and it was useless above 105 degrees. We would turn it on, again, around 9:00 at night and then it would cool down. I think shade would have helped, some, but it was in the mid-90's after dark.

I believe my experience was consistent with what is documented here: http://www.rvtechlibrary.com/heatair/aircon.php

"A cheap air conditioner may only have a temperature differential of 20 degrees while a high quality unit may have a temperature differential of 40 degrees. If it's 100 degrees outside and you want to cool it to 70 degrees on the inside you will need a temperature differential of at least 30 degrees"

Chris_and_Sarah

This is somewhat tangential, but when it's SUPER hot outside and I have no shade, I'll hose down the tab for a minute or two.  I feel like it makes a difference.

JandJ92010

Then it's safe to say that at high outdoor temps., these 5000 BTU A/C units are rather  overwhelmed.

Nomad

I'm not sure I'd use the term "overwhelmed". A lot depends on how hot is hot and how cool you want it. I've been in 90-97 most of the summer and not in shade most of the time. While I would like 65, it cooled enough that I was relatively comfortable considering how cool I'd really like it.
Last year I had 107 for a week but with shade and did fine.

irvingj

Keep in mind that, when it comes to "air conditioning," before the sensible heat (temperature) can be reduced, humidity must first be removed (that's what's called "latent heat"). So you're likely to see a bigger delta T (temperature difference across the air coil) when humidity is low than when it's high.

If it's hot AND humid, you may not see a great temp drop; the AC unit is using all its energy to remove water vapor from the air via condensation. Once the water vapor is removed/reduced, then the air temp will fall, but not before.

This may help to explain the widely varying temperature drops folks are reporting. I've seen units that were correctly sized in commercial spaces, working totally normally but putting out 80 degree air when it's extremely humid (90%+) and ambient air is around 90. OTOH, the condensate drain was running like a faucet…