Author Topic: Air Conditioner draining on roof  (Read 17611 times)

Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #15 on: August 01, 2015, 04:55:35 PM »
               Al,  Not real sure where a Monterey fits into pecking order of entry level coaches to hi-end luxury coaches. If the condensate water runs off the roof from both air conditioners, good probability it does not have roof drains.   Regards, Fred
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David T. Richelderfer

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #16 on: August 01, 2015, 05:00:31 PM »
Al - I do not know where you are located currently, but almost everywhere in the USA now has temps that would drive you to have your a/c on.  After a few hours of running you should have at least two wet spots from your two a/c units on the pad under your coach.  Take a look.  Where is the moisture coming from - a tube underneath the coach's edge or running down the side of the coach?
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Frank Towle

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #17 on: August 01, 2015, 06:44:17 PM »
Great topic.  Have had three RV's with roof a/c and all of them just dumped onto roof and gravity drained away the condensate (water).  Understand the 'high-end' rigs wanting to be more discreet in where the water goes, but don't really care as long as it leaves the interior of the rig.  Seeing the water drip off the roof is assurance drain holes are free flowing.

Expect those of you with roof a/c units will/should remove the plastic shroud at least once a season (that's 4 times a year) and vacuum/blow out all the leaves and hornet nests that will always collect there.  Good time to inspect the drainage holes in the corner(s) of the pan and make sure they are free of debris.   

Our current rig probably had never been cleaned and when the four (that's right - just four) screws were removed and plastic cover lifted off could see dozens of hornet nests and half an inch of decayed leaves plugging up 'radiators' and pan - they work lots better now.

A simple DIY maintenance job...  Cheers to all.
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Mike Groves

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #18 on: August 01, 2015, 09:16:38 PM »
              .... then it would have the drain hoses incorperated into the roof structure which would be visable if you remove the plastic plenum cover right under the air conditioner....              Hope this helps, Fred

If I understand correctly you're saying I gain access to all of this from inside the coach.  VERY difficult in mine.  The AC doesn't even have venting coming through the ceiling wood panels.  Air is drawn in from the side and expelled from the sides of the ducting structure.  So I suppose I'd have to remove the ceiling wood panels to expose the ducting structure then somehow plow through that.  Not worth it.  I guess a little water on the roof doesn't bother me. :)

Thanks Fred.

Mike

Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #19 on: August 01, 2015, 10:17:17 PM »
       Mike, where are the return air filters located on your coach? Are the roof air conditioners original or are they an updated replacement?   Fred
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Mike Groves

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #20 on: August 02, 2015, 02:01:33 PM »
       Mike, where are the return air filters located on your coach? Are the roof air conditioners original or are they an updated replacement?   Fred

Fred,

I suppose in 1999 when Beaver first started putting up these ornamental wood ceiling with inlays, they didn't want to put a vent in them, so both the air suction and air supply to the coach are through long rectangular inlets to the side of the ducting structure to which the ceiling panels are attached.  In mine I couldn't figure out how to find the filters so after asking around with no answers, I ran my hands up along the vent structure as I know that's where the air was coming out and felt filters placed into the air inlet rectangular cutouts of the sides of the vent structure.  I could feel the air being sucked in versus being blown out of these openings. 

The material is that standard filter material that is used for air conditions which are self contained with no ducting and which just suck the air in from the side (which use this material as filters) and blows it out the back.  So, I have two (right and left) inlets up front and 2 in the bathroom where I basically cut a long strip of this material about 15 x 6 and curve it and push it in over the rectangular inlets - it's held in place basically by being stuffed in there in that curved shape.  These inlets are approximately where others 2000 and later have the inlet vents cut into the wood which I suppose then can with draw and place a filter into (maybe the same material I am using), but mine are in the sides of the ducting structure so the wood is left entirely unblemished which does look nicer I think. 

I've never felt the AC is not working well, but of course, now that we're vacationing at Pacific Shores, on the Oregon Coast, when we go out it rarely gets to the point of needing AC.  We did use it a bit though when we left our dog inside this last time, and I did notice the two water streams coming off the roof, which is what prompted my question.  I was hoping that these drains were something I could get to by removing the covers on the roof.

Perhaps Tom Brown has found a similar situation in his '99, or perhaps his is newer/older before or after they did what they did in mine.  I know in '98 without the ceiling treatments there were vents.

Can you visualize what I have now?

Thanks,
Mike

Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2015, 03:04:29 PM »
                 Mike,

     Thanks for the detailed explanation of your ceiling ductwork. If I understand correctly, all the return air ductwork and discharge cool air ductwork are built into the roof decorative structure before it is perminently installed up to the ceiling. That is similar to how Newmar was building there coaches. The engineering reasoning behind it was to reduce the interior noise by controlling air flow and covering the main opening up into the air conditioner. If that is the case, then the air conditioner is mounted to the roof from the outside after taking the shroud off. (Roof airs are normally secured from the inside with 4- 8"x 5/16 bolts going up into the a/c and sandwiching the mounting gasket down to the roof to seal.) That would almost make it impossible to attach a drain hose to the a/c prior to installation. About that time 1999 almost all luxury coach builders were trying to keep up with each other and keep the condensate off of those gorgeous paint jobs. My 2000 has basement air and the return air filter is under the galley floor to the rear of the slide and serviced from outside. Not user friendly but at least I can look at it from inside and see if it is dirty.
          All I am trying to do is fine tune a pretty good system and balance the anbient temperature thru out the living area and I think the registers that Steve is experimenting with may be the key if we can make them pretty because Cindy has a say in the outcome. Maybe brass plating?
        Regards, Fred
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Larry Fisk

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #22 on: August 02, 2015, 04:03:20 PM »
Just an update, I tried the water back flush on the drain hose. I had water pouring off the roof but water still does not drain thru the hose. Decided to try the shop vac idea on the drain hose. Sucked the water and some small debris from the drain pan. Water still does not drain from the hose. I see no way to access the drain without pulling the unit since the pan sits under the air conditioner. Though the water draining on the roof is annoying it's not worth it to me to pull the unit to see what's going on, kinked hose, etc. So I will live with it. Thank you again everyone for all your suggestions. After trying them I'm convinced there is more going on than a plugged drain.
Larry Fisk
« Last Edit: August 02, 2015, 04:15:06 PM by Larry Fisk »
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Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #23 on: August 02, 2015, 07:04:42 PM »
                        Larry, if you have access to the plastic plenum cover directly under the air conditioner on the interior ceiling, remove 6 or 8 screws and there is the hoses of the drain system. You are correct if the issue is in the drain collection cups, you will have to remove the air conditioner to remove the cups to clean. Caution at this age they are brittle.  Fred
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Larry Fisk

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #24 on: August 02, 2015, 08:20:51 PM »
Thank you Fred, the only issue for me is in order to get there I will need to remove the decorative ceiling fixture with the led lights around it. The air conditioner discharge duct is buried under that. Not too hard to do if my wife helps me. I'm thinking I will wait until we get back to our winter home in Indio, CA before I try to figure it out again. Thanks again though. I had no idea I could access the drain hoses that way.
Larry
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Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #25 on: August 02, 2015, 08:45:25 PM »
                Larry, I'm pretty sure that decorative panel is mounted on a hinge. The hinge is on the passenger side and the retainer bolts are on the drivers side. If you get a step ladder, look up under the panel on the drivers side and you should see 3 bolts with 1/2" head. The reason I say this is because that is how Monaco was doing it on their coaches and your coach was built by Monaco. Please let me know because I believe there are a lot of Beaver owners that are not aware of this.
              Regards, Fred
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Larry Fisk

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #26 on: August 02, 2015, 08:54:52 PM »
Ok Fred, I will check that out as soon as my wife gets done with her Sunday afternoon nap. She can be pretty vicious if she doesn't get her nap, haha! Thank you again!
Larry
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Fred Brooks

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Re: Air Conditioner draining on roof
« Reply #27 on: August 02, 2015, 09:20:06 PM »
        Your a smart Man, Fred
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