Problem with rear AC

Macevir · 07-03-2022, 01:58 PM

Just found that our rear AC is not working properly. The fan will run but when I switch the AC on, the thermostat clicks but nothing happens. We are plugged into our home 50 amp line. The front AC is working fine but I'm afraid it's going to work itself to death trying to keep up with the temperature here in Charleston South Carolina. I've reset the circuit breaker, turned the thermostat off, waited 30 seconds and turned it back on. Nothing but the click. And our typical luck, tomorrow is a holiday and we leave Wednesday morning on our trip. I'm going to check the filter but doubt if that's it. 😩 Any ideas or suggestions will be much appreciated!

**creativepart** · 07-03-2022, 05:02 PM

You’ll hate this… but you need a service tech to see what the problem is. Most any independent RV tech could check it out for you, it’s not a Winnebago specific A/C.

If you’re real lucky it’s just a bad run/start capacitor that’s easily replaced. Otherwise, it has a refrigerant leak or bad compressor which requires a replacement A/C which seem to be almost impossible to get these days - even more so during peak camping season.

Best of luck.

Macevir · 07-03-2022, 05:24 PM

Thanks for responding. I was afraid of it being the compressor. We don't use the rear AC much and now that I just jinxed myself, the first one will go out

**creativepart** · 07-03-2022, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macevir

Thanks for responding. I was afraid of it being the compressor. We don't use the rear AC much and now that I just jinxed myself, the first one will go out

Not necessarily. Some of these last for years. I’ve replaced two, both in the bedroom location. Don’t worry about over working the front one. They are built to run… until they don’t.

deckape · 07-03-2022, 06:19 PM

Turn off breaker and get up on roof . Take cover off ,remove wiring cover and look at wiring .Look for a burnt wire , broken wire ,take cover off compressor , look at wires . Look at caps for swelling, bad , look for something that looks bad . Put everything back and come back down and turn power off to coach . Now check wiring at breaker panel for burnt,bad wire . Tighten all connections . Button it up and turn power back on . Now try A/C . Hoped that helped .

BobC · 07-03-2022, 08:04 PM

Capacitors are inexpensive and easy to replace, so, before I'd go too far, I'd just replace them. Sometimes they show visible signs of failure (swelling, leaking) but other times they don't. Just make sure you take some photos to make sure you hook everything up and labeling the wires is a good idea.

Macevir · 07-04-2022, 06:19 AM

Thanks y'all. We've decided to have a mobile tech look at it when we arrive at our destination. Hubby spreads himself thin and has a million and one things to do before we leave for the mountains Wednesday morning. The coach is sitting in our driveway with the hot sun beating down on it; he doesn't need to be up on the roof with no shade. Can't wait to get away from the heat and humidity of Charleston SC!

Macevir · 07-06-2022, 10:57 AM

Update- called 2 different mobile tech and closest tech is in Hickory NC. We are near Boone NC. Earliest anyone can come is the 19th. That’s crazy!

**creativepart** · 07-06-2022, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macevir

Earliest anyone can come is the 19th. That’s crazy!

Actually... that's not bad at all. You're lucky. But the sad part is, if the unit needs replaced then how long will that take????

cruizerEd · 07-10-2022, 07:28 PM

If you want to try something really cheap and easy and likely to address the issue put in a new start capacitor. You will need to know what make/model of AC you have and you will have to turn it off at the breaker for safety, remove the cover, detach the old capacitor and attach the new one. It is a really easy job. If it doesn't fix it not much is lost. You can get them at a lot of places or online as well.

Short of this you'll have to go into diagnostic mode, look at the capacitor and see if it has vented and test it and if it isn't bad you'll have to start tracing voltages etc.

Americanrascal · 07-11-2022, 04:40 AM

I too had a front heat pump act like the OP's and I really thought (hoped) it was something easy like a capacitor. Further diagnosis by an qualified HVAC tech verified it was the high pressure valve/switch. As it was a sealed system and under a service contract the unit was trashed and replaced, but not before I salvaged a bunch of spare parts off the old unit.

**macnut** · 07-11-2022, 07:29 PM

I wish I had thought of salvaging parts from the old unit. Good move!