Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-04-2021, 05:29 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Happy wife / happy life's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,946
Roof a/c maintenance ?

Hi folks, I know that an automotive air conditioner compressor needs to be cycled occasionally to lubricate the system. Does the same hold true for the roof mount a/c unit? Thanks for your input!
__________________
1984 gmc k1500 4x4 s/w/b. s/b 350,700r4,373 diff,.restored and upgraded( retired - sold). 2022 Chevy Z-71 Trail Boss 4x4 crew cab s/w/b 6.2 gas a/t. 2018 hummingbird Baja 16mrb,Yamaha ef2400ishc inverter.
Happy wife / happy life is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 05:48 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 15,943
Nothing needs to be done since it's just a mini version of a house a/c.
__________________
DISNEY LOVERS
Grumpy is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 06:10 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
tom463219's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Portage
Posts: 480
The only maintenance I know about is to keep the inside filters clean.
__________________
Tom
2016 Greyhawk 31DS
2016 Chevy Equinox LX
Blue Ox Baseplate w/Aventa LX Tow Bar & KarGard II Deflector
Blue Ox Patriot Brake
tom463219 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 06:44 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
SmokerBill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: PNW
Posts: 5,195
Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy wife / happy life View Post
Hi folks, I know that an automotive air conditioner compressor needs to be cycled occasionally to lubricate the system. Does the same hold true for the roof mount a/c unit? Thanks for your input!
I've always tried to run my air conditioner at least a couple of times during the cooler months. Even if it doesn't help by getting the freon moving around and redistributing lubricant in the bearings, it will verify that the AC is in working condition.

It would be much better to find an AC problem in the cooler months than having to deal with a broken air conditioner in the heat of summer.
__________________
Bill
2011 Dodge Ram 1500 HEMI Quad Cab
2011 Jay Flight 26BH
SmokerBill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 07:18 PM   #5
Site Team
 
norty1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,767
I once had a Dometic roof top and every year after sitting for a couple of months, I would have to go reach up inside and spin the squirrel cage blower to break the surface tension on the shaft and get the motor running.

After that it worked flawlessly until it sat without running again.

My current Coleman Mach III's have never done that.
__________________
Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
norty1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 07:33 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Route 66 Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,949
Some good information in this video. It’s on my To Do list before the summer season.

__________________
Lee & Kathy, and our alarm clock Jake!
2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 266RKS 50 amp.
2017 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 10-1-2021

Route 66 Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 08:03 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Tunce the traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bellingham,Wa.
Posts: 6,657
While you’re thinking about the AC it would be a good idea to check those 4 bolts to make sure their snugged down ever so lightly
Attached Thumbnails
62477995-29CC-4169-8460-40241028B56E.jpg  
__________________
2010 Jayco Hybrid EXP21M
2013 Toureg TDI
Tunce the traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 09:42 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
havnfun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico
Posts: 3,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler View Post
While you’re thinking about the AC it would be a good idea to check those 4 bolts to make sure their snugged down ever so lightly
So Tunce, how you you tighten the bolts on a 15K Whisper Quiet AC? I don't see any access on my living room AC.
Thanks,
Jeff

HappyRVing
__________________
2018 Eagle HT 26.5 RLDS. SOLD
2009 F150 Supercab UNICORN, 5.4L ,3.73, HD and Max Tow Packages, Timbrens, Bilstein shocks.
Wet bolt kit. Andersen Ultimate 20K hitch. TST 507RV TPMS. Hydro Life HL-200. 16" Goodyear Endurance. Progressive EMS. SteadyFast Stabilizers. Furion backup camera.
Best friend wife, Di, and dog Cooper. RETIRED
havnfun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2021, 10:52 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Jagiven's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,736
I never run my ac in the winter

As for maintenance;
- Clean the ac filters every 5-7 days of use.
- Annually check the roof bolts
- Clean the roof top coils, periodically.

I have not adjusted my roof bolts in years, but I check them annually.
__________________

2012 Jayco X23B
2020 Ram Laramie 3500 SRW Air ride 50Gal fuel tank.
2007 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (sold)
Equal-I-zer 4-Point Sway Control
Jagiven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2021, 04:20 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Winter Springs
Posts: 105
Quote:
Originally Posted by havnfun View Post
So Tunce, how you you tighten the bolts on a 15K Whisper Quiet AC? I don't see any access on my living room AC.
Thanks,
Jeff

HappyRVing
If you don’t have the shroud directly underneath he unit on 5e inside then It’s bolted down from the top, probably with lag screws or bolts. Nothing to do. I suppose you could go up there and wiggle he unit and make sure it’s secure.
Shall36 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2021, 10:35 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
havnfun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico
Posts: 3,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shall36 View Post
If you don’t have the shroud directly underneath he unit on 5e inside then It’s bolted down from the top, probably with lag screws or bolts. Nothing to do. I suppose you could go up there and wiggle he unit and make sure it’s secure.
Thanks Shall36. Already checked for looseness on the roof and all seems okay.
Happy RVing,
Jeff
__________________
2018 Eagle HT 26.5 RLDS. SOLD
2009 F150 Supercab UNICORN, 5.4L ,3.73, HD and Max Tow Packages, Timbrens, Bilstein shocks.
Wet bolt kit. Andersen Ultimate 20K hitch. TST 507RV TPMS. Hydro Life HL-200. 16" Goodyear Endurance. Progressive EMS. SteadyFast Stabilizers. Furion backup camera.
Best friend wife, Di, and dog Cooper. RETIRED
havnfun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2021, 10:49 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler View Post
While you’re thinking about the AC it would be a good idea to check those 4 bolts to make sure their snugged down ever so lightly
This same guy mentioned 50 inch pounds of torque to those lag bolts. I’d like to see where he got that from; I like knowing exactly how much to tighten them up and I’ll buy a inch/pound torque wrench for this job.

I’m going to install a RV Airflow device in my rig when it arrives.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2021, 11:32 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Tunce the traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bellingham,Wa.
Posts: 6,657
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jopopsy View Post
This same guy mentioned 50 inch pounds of torque to those lag bolts. I’d like to see where he got that from; I like knowing exactly how much to tighten them up and I’ll buy a inch/pound torque wrench for this job.

I’m going to install a RV Airflow device in my rig when it arrives.
Now mine tightens down from the inside and they really only need to be tightened to just a little snug . If you look at my picture from above you’ll see the yellow tab that represents the thickness of the foam gasket. Check and adjust yearly and after about the 4th year it might be 1/2 compressed and by the 5 year it SHOULD be changed out. The change out is easy and you can DIY.
Attached Thumbnails
68AE59E4-E7FD-4C1D-89DB-7C58AC68D674.jpg  
__________________
2010 Jayco Hybrid EXP21M
2013 Toureg TDI
Tunce the traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2021, 11:35 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
craigav's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,505
Two thoughts,

First is you shouldn't run the A/C in cold temperatures (not speaking about heat pumps though). The oil in the refrigerant doesn't flow as good the colder it gets which is bad for the compressor. I would run the A/C in the winter time only if the outside temperature was above 55~60. (I would check your manual though first).

Second thought regarding how tight the 4 bolts should be to secure the A/C. When installing a new A/C or a new gasket, there are tabs on the gasket to watch and when they are flush with the roof then that is what is recommended regarding tightening the 4 hold down bolts. This represents a compression of the seal (gasket) that is about ~60% compression of the gasket. However, with time the gasket can and will settle a bit (compress) and that can cause the bolts to become loose (vibration over time could do that as well), therefore if your bolts are loose then as I have seen in the documents for my previous RV (not sure with my current A/C), a recommended torque value is 40~50 in lbs which sounds reasonable. You don't want to tighten them too much as that further compresses the gasket beyond what it was designed for and will cause it to fail earlier than it would otherwise, but loose bolts also can allow for vibrations (excess noise) and ultimately leaks. On my current RV, I simply snugged them down with a small 4" ratchet until I could feel and see the bolts were snug, if you are not familiar with what 50" lbs feels like then a small torque wrench certainly could be of value. In fact I have a small torque wrench so part of my spring maintenance will be to use it this time, I can tell you that 50 inch lbs are not very much, so for those who find the bolts loose, just snug them a little (about a half turn after you feel tightness on the bolt), which is about as much as you can using only two fingers and a 4" ratchet, better to have a torque wrench for sure. It would also be a good time to inspect the gasket, they don't last forever, but without over tightening the A/C, the gasket should last 10+ years (perhaps a lot more in fact). (My advice is based on my experience, which is limited in this area so just use my information as a guide and verify with your A/C owners manual first for any recommendations they have)
~CA
__________________
2010 GreyHawk 31SS
craigav is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2021, 01:29 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Route 66 Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,949
I have an inch pound torque screwdriver and 50 inch pounds seemed way too much. Squished my gasket. Backed it off to 20 and that seemed about right. After I installed the RV Airflow device I couldn't see the adjustment tabs but the bolts seem pretty snugged up at 20 inch pounds. I'll check them again after my next trip.
Route 66 Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2021, 12:15 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jopopsy View Post
This same guy mentioned 50 inch pounds of torque to those lag bolts. I’d like to see where he got that from; I like knowing exactly how much to tighten them up and I’ll buy a inch/pound torque wrench for this job.

I’m going to install a RV Airflow device in my rig when it arrives.
So my RV Airflow device came in today, and on the instruction sheet for it I see they recommend torquing the lag bolts to 40-50 inch pounds.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2021, 12:59 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Route 66 Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,949
As I stated above I set my Wheeler torque screwdriver for 40 pounds and that was way too much. I marked the mounting bolts before I removed them and when I hit 40 inch pounds the marks on 2 of the bolts were almost 2 inches below where they were before removal. Plus, my gasket was very compressed. I backed off all four bolts, set the screwdriver for 20 inch pounds and re-torqued the bolts. That setting seemed just about right.

I had to also trim one of the duct inserts to fit one on my duct openings. The other one was a perfect fit. The foam insert is a very tight fit and on my first try it got to the point where I was afraid to push on it any harder. I removed it and the mixed up some dish washing liquid and water, coated the foam and the duct inserts, and then it slid right into place.

It actually doubled the amount of air coming from my ceiling vents. I used a digital wind meter to measure my wind speed before and after. Before my readings were between 8 & 10 mph. After the install ALL of my ceiling vents were showing just under 20mph air flow! Couldn't believe it. Next week we are going to Quartzsite, AZ and it's predicted to be in the mid 80's, so it will be a good first test.

Good luck on your install.
__________________
Lee & Kathy, and our alarm clock Jake!
2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 266RKS 50 amp.
2017 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 10-1-2021

Route 66 Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2021, 03:34 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
I’m sure it will be one of many ‘moments’ I’ll have when the rig comes in. I’ve done this before (too many times), I know I’m in for a sore back, busted knuckles, and ‘memories’.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2021, 04:02 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Route 66 Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,949
What??! It's a piece of cake, took me about 40 minutes using just a Philips screwdriver, a nut driver for the 4 mounting bolts, my torque screwdriver, and some silver tape. I had to trim one of the plastic duct inserts using a razor knife, but that was easy as well.
__________________
Lee & Kathy, and our alarm clock Jake!
2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 266RKS 50 amp.
2017 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 10-1-2021

Route 66 Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2021, 04:07 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
No, sorry I meant this install along w/ vent shrouds, screen door handle, helper spring adjustment, possible sway bar install, etc. This is just one of the the ‘things’ I have to do when it comes in. Hence the back, knuckles, likely cuss words, etc.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.