For all AC and RV electrical folks - puzzling AC question…

[Rich W.]

Im at National RV Refrigeration. Its an Amish shop and they do good work, have great customer service, but they are dealing with Dometic, Norcold, and other problematic products. But if you ever need an RV refrigerator this is the place. Lots of inventory and better proces than anywhere else. They can also fix almost any older RV refrigeration equipment. They are repairing a basement air unit on an older class A right now. They hope to have another new unit on my roof in the next couple hours.

National RV Refrigeration | Shipshewana, IN

National RV Refrigeration where we rebuild RV refrigerators and replace your factory fridge with a retro fit that will often out perform the factory unit.

fixyourfridge.com

 

[AbdRahim]

Thanks, never thought of them for A/C - makes sense.

 

[Rich W.]

Well I was back on the road by 2:30 this afternoon which isnt bad considering they had to trouble-shoot the unit, then convince Dometic it was bad (probably over-charged from the factory), and still service all the other customers with appointments today. We are now just chillin (literally) in a somewhat large and busy, but nonetheless quiet and restful enough park in Shipshewana (Eby’s Pines) enjoying things operating as they should.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

As the compressor builds pressure it is normal for the current demand to increase as well. Yep, overcharge will cause the compressor to draw more amps. Likewise, undercharge will draw fewer amps.

I noticed ours this morning when the compressor kicked on was drawing about 10 amps and after about 2 minutes it was up to 12 amps. Add 2.0 amps to these numbers for the fan and thus total current demand. I consider this to be a normal operation.

 

[Jakhamer]

I just had a new 15k btu heat pump installed this morning. We function tested it after the install and all seemed well. But this afternoon while setting up in a camp ground it tripped the 20 amp breaker (rear AC breaker) after about 10 minutes. So I ran it again and looked at the EMS (Precision Circuits Power Control System) and while running it’s drawing 27 amps thus the 20 amp breaker tripping. By comparison the front AC pulls 13 amps.

So any ideas about what would make a brand new unit do this? Im heading back there tomorrow morning (about 100 miles) and will arrive around 9 am. I was there before 5:00 this morning to have the new unit installed. Its a new unit, two year warranty, so Im not too worried, just really inconvenienced and somewhat irritated and would appreciate any information that might help resolve this. Im a bit concerned about how tomorrow morning will go.

The new unit: Dometic Product # 970003835, model # 651916HXX1J0-01

Could be loose wire or having compressor having hard time trying to start

 

[Rich W.]

Could be loose wire or having compressor having hard time trying to start

We checked that and they checked the capacitors. They think it was over-charged from the factory or a compressor defect. The replacement is in place and running exactly the way it should. But they also said this was the first new unit they have seen that has had this problem. Fortunately we were only 100 miles away and they could fit us in the next day so we didn’t have to go through a warranty hassle with an extended service appointment elsewhere.

It ran fine when it was installed but we only ran it for about 5 minutes to verify it was working and neither of us thought to check the amp draw of a new unit. It wasn’t until I was plugged in at a campground later that day and it started tripping the 20 amp breaker on that circuit that I realized there was a problem and identified the excessive amp draw (27 amps!).

Anyway we hussled back there the next morning (yesterday) and they fit us in between half a dozen other customers with appointments, and after testing and convincing Dometic it was a bad unit, replaced it with another new one that works just fine and we enjoyed it all afternoon and most of the night in a campground about 10 miles away.

Then we got hit by a severe thunderstorm (glad we weren’t driving) and with lightning flashing almost every second, I got paranoid and unplugged. The internet was really slow but I managed to get a look at radar and it was a very impressive red swath about 10 miles wide and 25 miles long (LaGrange to Elkhart) traveling north.

Today everything is soaked but the sun is shining in Shipshewana and after this and several other problems over the last 5700 miles, we finally feel like the vacation can resume.

If you ever have AC or refrigerator problems near Elkhart, this is the place to go:

National RV Refrigeration | Shipshewana, IN

National RV Refrigeration where we rebuild RV refrigerators and replace your factory fridge with a retro fit that will often out perform the factory unit.

fixyourfridge.com

 

[Neal]

Consider adding to the new forum I just created for this:

RV Service Centers & Mobile Techs

If you used a mobile RV service or a RV service center you want to make others aware of please list it in this forum.

rvforums.com

 

["EZ"]

Glad it all worked out for you. Sounds like a great place to do business with!

 

[Scooterfan]

hmmm...every time I hear "AMISH" it's associated with quality work and good customer service. Doesn't seem like a coincidence. Maybe I should make an effort to support those businesses when possible. Glad you are "chilled" Rich. Just got back from Chico...(106*) Dash air can't handle it. Don't really like driving with a "gas" generator down the road in 110* heat either. But had to to stay comfortable. Glad to hit the Central Coast (temps dropped 30* in less than 10 miles)

 

[redbaron]

hmmm...every time I hear "AMISH" it's associated with quality work and good customer service. Doesn't seem like a coincidence. Maybe I should make an effort to support those businesses when possible. Glad you are "chilled" Rich. Just got back from Chico...(106*) Dash air can't handle it. Don't really like driving with a "gas" generator down the road in 110* heat either. But had to to stay comfortable. Glad to hit the Central Coast (temps dropped 30* in less than 10 miles)

Really what I have observed is a company that is part of the Amish community seems to have a very high set of moral values, which lends to good customer service and doing the right thing. Quality isn't guaranteed, but is often the buy product of the first two.

One of my customers is a large storage building manufacturer. They are menonite. I was talking with the owner, who was in his 80's at the time and asked him why all Menonites are such good carpenters. He laughed at the notion, and said thats just not the case. He said that very few are good at it, even those on the production floor. He said that the difference is that they all care about the quality of the job, and know when they have done a poor job, and ask for help. He said they eventually find a place for every skill set, even if that means sweeping the shop floor.

Its all about character and pride in a job well done, even if you didn't do the job yourself.