Air conditioner working too hard?

[gdetty1]

I own a 2010 29d Melbourne. I realize its hot(we are camping in Gettysburg ready to go to the Hershey RV show tomorrow) but is there a secret someone may know regarding how to use the roof power fan/vents to possibly help cool the inside down? Our roof air conditioner runs a lot even to the point of tripping the breaker. I then turn the water heater and refrigerator on gas,but I think the breaker tripping is from the roof air getting hot or being overworked. When it trips the breaker it takes a while until the roof air conditioner does start, as if on a timer. I know it's not low on freon and it does blow very cool air but it constantly runs and several times the circuit breaker trips. Tomorrow when we are gone all day I sure don't want the breaker to trip and I also would like to not use the propane for the refrig and water heater.

I have tried experimenting with turning the vents on drawing air out... Doesn't help... Or I try pulling air in which also doesn't help. Is there a secret to circulating air through the unit by air conditioner vents or roof vents or is this a normal situation with an RV wIth only one roof air conditioner?

[msturtz]

Ok a few things to check. I had a similar problem with my 13.5K BTU unit. Check the voltage inside your coach with the AC running. I bet it is low. Many parks have low AC voltage especially when everyone is running their air conditioning. What I ended up doing is purchasing an Autoformer that automatically adjusts the voltage up or down to prevent this sort of problem. I.e. if the voltage is low it will adjust it up to 117VAC or if it is too high (rare but it happens) it will adjust it down to 117VAC. It does this dynamically and automatically. For AC units air flow is key. This means you need to open all air conditioning vents including if equipped the chill grill that is on some models. You can close some of the vents after it reaches the correct temperature but it is best to keep them open and the fan on high. You should always run your AC blower on "high" as well. The reason for these suggestions have to do with icing problems. If your unit ices up it cannot effectively cool your motorhome and could eventually trip the breaker. Finally don't be tempted to open doors and windows. In the NE it is very humid and the AC unit must remove the water from the air before it can cool it. You will defeat this process by opening the doors and windows. I know that it sounds counterintuitive but it is true. If you have 79F outside temp at 90% humidity and you want to drop the temp inside your coach to 75% at a more reasonable 50% humidity your AC must remove a lot of water from the air, walls, cushions etc. before it can even start to drop the temperature on degree. The only exception to this rule is if you are cooking with propane you should turn on the exhaust fan to remove the fumes and water while you are actually cooking. A common mistake people make is to open the windows at night to cool things off. If you have AC you should run the AC at full blast all night long and then keep it on all day. This will allow the AC to remove all of the moisture from inside your coach. The other thing I have done is purchase a mechanical dehumidifier for my trailer and now motorhome. This works very well by removing the water from the air so the AC does not have to work as hard. Since you are having power issues if you want to do this you can run an extension cord outside your coach to the pedestal and plug it into the separate 20 amp outlet directly. Key takeaways: Close all: windows, doors, vents etc., keep the AC running all the time, check your voltage and correct if required.
Good Luck,
Michael

[Grumpy]

There is a 5 minute time delay on the compressor to protect it, so yes it will not start cooling as soon as you reset the breaker. I would check the wire on the breaker and make sure the hold down screw is tight. Also as was mentioned you could have low voltage at the park or even a loose connection at the box where you plug in. The receptacles get worn/loose from so much use.

[gdetty1]

Thank you for the information. I kept all air conditioning vents open and when we returned yesterday from the Hershey RV Show, the coach was cooled down and the breaker did not trip. Being it was very hot and humid that may be my answer. I will invest in an autoformer but as is the case with a Jayco Melbourne, a lack of storage and compartments is a grave consideration. Since I tow a jeep I already have lost one storage bin that now has the brake compressor mounted inside, but I believe it is one of those dire needs I must accommodate. Last year after I had an electrician come and wire me a 30 amp hookup at home and I threw the switch, not knowing he had wired the receptacle thinking it was 220 volt AC and this burned out my converter, I always have that panic attack thinking more damage was done by this incorrect wiring. However I am glad I'm in the Internet age where a host of people are there ready to help and willing to respond. Thanks for the information. It's that old saying from others that is a learning process "I don't know what you don't know"! I continue to learn and it is all very valuable to owning an RV.

[msturtz]

http://autoformersdirect.com/catalog...products_id=29

[msturtz]

I store my Autoformer in the power cord storage compartment. Eventually I plan on mounting it underneath my Greyhawk and using a detachable cord to connect to the motorhome. That way I don't need to deal with the hassle of taking it in and out of the cord storage compartment.