Problem Rear air

[lostinfla]

Just got to our campsite for the next month in S Indiana and the rear air started making noise. Went up and removed the cover, and it seems the motor bearings have gone out. It's a Dometic Penguin II 15k heat pump. Has anyone here had luck finding the correct replacement fan motor for this unit? If not, I may have to just find a complete unit, but I dread having to go through that.

 

[Buly]

I bought one on Amazon 2 years ago, but no longer available.

 

[Rich W.]

Just got to our campsite for the next month in S Indiana and the rear air started making noise. Went up and removed the cover, and it seems the motor bearings have gone out. It's a Dometic Penguin II 15k heat pump. Has anyone here had luck finding the correct replacement fan motor for this unit? If not, I may have to just find a complete unit, but I dread having to go through that.

National RV Refrigeration in Shipshawana has them for $1650 and charges $100 for the installation. Im getting one on the 20th (bad compressor ). If you can wait til then Ill have more info.

 

[Buly]

$1650 I think I paid $110 for mine? Have a spare one now.

 

[Lab00Rat]

I'd suggest everyone check their Penguin II air units. I just installed some Micro-Air soft start today and pulled the cover on my brand new - just replaced unit to find pretty lousy build quality.

It is important to make sure that the air flow is controlled between the low pressure and exhaust zones. Only air should be pulled through the heat exchange fins and not any cracks or tares in the foam or barrier around the low pressure zone.

I found openings in the barrier that should not be there...

Also, the cold cap was not fully seated, and refused to close to be seated and clipped.

This is a brand new unit too, so it's like this from the factory.

My repair was to run aluminum hvac tape across gaps and cracks to seal them. It did make a difference in the cooling of the coach and the A/C vent flow was higher. That means my cold air was being blow out of the gap in the cold zone. There was a gap in the barrier and in the cold zone on both A/C units. Took about 20 feet of hvac tape to seal both units. Not sure if it's the best, but I can cut the tape for maintenance easily if needed.

Not sealing off gaps in the low pressure zone will lead to overheating of the motor bearings and premature failure in the unit.

 

[Sealyn]

If you can remove the motor, find a local shop that rebuilds small motors, if rebuildable it will be a fraction of the cost of a new one.

 

[Rich W.]

$1650 I think I paid $110 for mine? Have a spare one now.

$1650 is for a complete unit. If they had amscratch and dent it would be $600. Was $110 for a fan or for a new 15k btu heat pump? Mine has a bad compressor and while any competent hvac tech could replace it, dometic does not sell them or list a part number in their manual/parts diagram, and so far Ive never found an hvac guy to do it.

My brother in law and is an hvac contractor and could and would do it if I could get the compressor. I guess I could go that route but I want one now and Nat’l RV Refer in Shipshawana has them and will fit me in their schedule, at 5am. I might keep the old one to fix as a spare. Havent decided if I want to haul it all the way home yet.

I have a hard start capacitor I’ll try with an amp meter on it monitoring what its drawing before paying the big bucks for the swap. It just might break lose. Right now its stuck and just gets really how, but the rest of the unit works as it should. I tested the start and run cap, they are good, and I put in a higher power start cap (but not a hard start because I didn't have one yet) and that did nothing. So the hard start is my last hope, and ot very much of that. I will also send the make and model of the compressor to my BIL and see if he can get one.

We are actually surviving just fine on the front AC (and a box fan); weather has been cooperating so far and we’ll be home in August where my tools, resources, and network are located. But really it would be nice to put this one behind us and be done with it and worth $1750 if thats what it takes. I’ll save money on other diy repairs and maintenance to make up for it, I will also get up there and inspect and seal both units as detailed in post #5.

Here’s a pic of the compressor with the data plate visible. If anyone knows of a source please advise:

 

[lostinfla]

At this point, I'm thinking of a complete unit. Rich, I may see you up there if I can get in. I'll call Monday AM, THANKS! I think it could be replaced with the same unit without heat as we don't ever use the heat pump, and CW has them available (I believe) for around 1200. I'll find a way to get it up there if I absolutely have to do it myself. Should work with the thermostat along with the other unit with heat, no?

 

[Rich W.]

Yeah you can use a unit with less functions on the “10 button” t-stat. Just not the other way around - more function on the ”five button”. (Not how I refer to t-stats but that seems to be the tech lingo).

Ive used the heat pump in the bedroom once and found it too noisy to sleep and try to steer clear of extremely cold destinations, and have often used a little box heater to augment, but I am reluctant to down grade any equipment because of over-all value. But it is something to think about.

Also not to try to change your mind, but if I just had a fan motor go out I would definitely fix the unit. Easy and inexpensive repair by comparison. I spent some time looking for a compressor last night and ended up making a formal request through LG using my BIL’s heat and air company. We’ll see….

 

[lostinfla]

Yeah you can use a unit with less functions on the “10 button” t-stat. Just not the other way around - more function on the ”five button”. (Not how I refer to t-stats but that seems to be the tech lingo).

Ive used the heat pump in the bedroom once and found it too noisy to sleep and try to steer clear of extremely cold destinations, and have often used a little box heater to augment, but I am reluctant to down grade any equipment because of over-all value. But it is something to think about.

Also not to try to change your mind, but if I just had a fan motor go out I would definitely fix the unit. Easy and inexpensive repair by comparison. I spent some time looking for a compressor last night and ended up making a formal request through LG using my BIL’s heat and air company. We’ll see….

I would love to find a fan motor, but being the weekend (when all stuff stops working) I haven't found one available in a reasonable amount of time, and I don't want to live out the rest of the trip without the rear air. I think we've used the HP twice in the last 7 years. When it gets cold, we always use floor heat, at least till it gets below 40, then add a little furnace. Hitting the phone early Monday morning to try and find parts or a unit if necessary. I actually shouldn't complain as these are the original units on the coach.

 

[Rich W.]

I would love to find a fan motor, but being the weekend (when all stuff stops working) I haven't found one available in a reasonable amount of time, and I don't want to live out the rest of the trip without the rear air. I think we've used the HP twice in the last 7 years. When it gets cold, we always use floor heat, at least till it gets below 40, then add a little furnace. Hitting the phone early Monday morning to try and find parts or a unit if necessary. I actually shouldn't complain as these are the original units on the coach.

Yeah mine is a ‘16 also but they should last more than six years. If you talk to National ask about scratch and dents. Less than 1/2 price and you’d probably never see it - could use your cover if that was the problem with the new unit. I was told they mainly get referigerators that way and just put on a new door (my neighbor just got one there like that), but they list prices for S&D AC’s. Also when they tell you they are booked for weeks, ask about a 5 am appointment. They are Amish and will work like the restmof society used to.

 

[Neal]

I'd suggest everyone check their Penguin II air units. I just installed some Micro-Air soft start today and pulled the cover on my brand new - just replaced unit to find pretty lousy build quality.

It is important to make sure that the air flow is controlled between the low pressure and exhaust zones. Only air should be pulled through the heat exchange fins and not any cracks or tares in the foam or barrier around the low pressure zone.

View attachment 13365

I found openings in the barrier that should not be there...
View attachment 13366
View attachment 13368

Also, the cold cap was not fully seated, and refused to close to be seated and clipped.
View attachment 13367

This is a brand new unit too, so it's like this from the factory.

My repair was to run aluminum hvac tape across gaps and cracks to seal them. It did make a difference in the cooling of the coach and the A/C vent flow was higher. That means my cold air was being blow out of the gap in the cold zone. There was a gap in the barrier and in the cold zone on both A/C units. Took about 20 feet of hvac tape to seal both units. Not sure if it's the best, but I can cut the tape for maintenance easily if needed.

Not sealing off gaps in the low pressure zone will lead to overheating of the motor bearings and premature failure in the unit.

Great post, this should really be it's own thread if you want to copy and paste this into a TIP/FYI thread for others to learn from.

 

[Neal]

I put Micro-Air in my units about 1 year into ownership, I'm going on 5 years with them now. I expected to only get 3 years, I feel I'm on borrowed time on these units and expect one to go on this trip (gloom and doom I know). But moral is I'm ready to replace them when something goes, it's time. I think 5 years on them is a win.

How long has someone gone with their Dometic units, what's the average age prior to replacement?

 

[AbdRahim]

My 15k was going strong on my Forester when I sold it at 5 years. Never had a problem with it. It also ran hard, since there was only one A/C on a 30” coach. Furthermore, I did not know they should be serviced yearly, so other than filter change and adding tape to seal off the cold half, it had never been serviced.

 

[Magua]

I replaced two last fall. They went out within 2 weeks of each other. The third is still the original. That’s on a 2014 Essex. 7 years…not bad!

 

[WinePress]

Just replaced mine this week. Part # 3314471.011
$192.00 from Panther RV Products.
Took about three hours. Before you start, take a look at the tools you will need, like t handle hex key for the fan cages. Pretty easy install, just time consuming. Tech suggested a temporary work around where you drill two small holes on the motor case and fill with oil. I elected to just replace it.

 

[lostinfla]

I first noticed the noise in the fan motor on Saturday night (of course) and luckily it rained all day Sunday, but I figured it was a major priority so I searched low and high for a motor to get within a day or so with no luck. I found a Camping World in Indianapolis that had 2 in stock without heat pump, and they were on sale for 1200.00. We drove 110 miles through monsoon like rain and wind to pick it up there and made it back to the coach in time to hear about the mall shooting that turned out to be about 4 miles from where we were. This morning, the wife and I got up about 7 and the skies were clear with no rain till noon. Took the unit out of the Jeep and put it on the picnic table, then tied a rope to one end of the base through the cardboard carton. Got help from the 2 guys picking up the trash bags to get it up on the roof. They wouldn't accept money at all. After I got the new unit installed, they stopped back by and said they would dispose of the old unit and helped me get it off the roof, again not accepting any money. Kind of restored my faith in human kindness after hearing of the shooting. It started to rain just as I was putting the tools away, and I am sitting in AC comfort, Praise God!! Thanks to all here who suggested options and especially Rich W for his recommendation of NRVR. They gave me a few pointers on dip switch settings.

 

[AbdRahim]

Still can’t figure out how you got it up on the roof.

 

[Neal]

Getting solar panels on my roof was fun. They do bounce I'm not sure how the AC replacement will go when that time comes.

Did you have to get that "special gasket" or did you reuse the prior one? Wasn't there some special shaped gasket required for Newmar?

 

[Lab00Rat]

.... They gave me a few pointers on dip switch settings.

Do tell, please.