our vacation...AC raining down water in the interior.

SA

sam-HILO

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Mar 9, 2010
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4,233
Location
Niagara Falls,NY
It was a 90degree each day vacation. We never leave the AC on when we are away from the HiLo all day. All of a sudden on day two it was raining in the HiLo. We shut the unit off and placed a pan to catch the water. Thankfully it cooled off enough at night that we could sleep with the windows open and I had a small electric fan. I told DH I remember others with the same problem,but couldn't remember the fix. Guess I flunked the test!!.Luckily we carry our paperwork with us and DD looked up the fix on her internet/phone. The next morning DH disassembled the interior shroud and tightened up the bolt to the gasket. Just tighten,but not overly tight as per the instruction manual. Worked like a charm. DH was glad he had his socket set with him.
 
Sam, if you can locate it, look at the pictures provided (by my husband under my name) in message dated August 2, 2012 showing how he solved this drip problem on our new Hi-Lo low-profile air conditioner. At first, we did what you did, but the problem came back. In the pictures you will see our permanent fix.

Dee
 
Ac drip

Dee,Thanks!! I will look it up tomorrow when I am not so tired and can comprehend what I am reading. Tomorrow is my DH's eye surgery. We won't be camping again until Sept.
 
A/C leak

Sam, I also had the same leak you did on my 24'er. I did the same as you did.
And, as Dee stated, it will most likely return, mine did. My fix was to remove interior connections, wires, three bolts, filters, etc. Lower the top, remove the A/C and install a new seal (funny feeling thing). Clean the inside of the A/C while it's out (bugs, bees and other strange critters). And then, of course, re-install the A/C correctly. Not an easy task for one person, but two stronger people make it a snap. About 2 1/2hrs.
Tree
 
Thanks for the reply.

Dh had his eye surgery today. He won't be able to do anything for three months. I can't see me climbing on the roof to help him!! Is the new seal replaced from the inside or outside? We already have a new seal as we thought we needed to replace our roof a few yrs. back. Our roof doesn't leak. It is a carrier AC that was installed by our HiLo dealer in 2005. Time sure has a way of going by fast.
 
sam, I don't think the Carrier you had installed in 2005 is considered a low-profile AC; therefore, the fix described and pictured in hubby's 2012 message probably would not be applicable to your AC. However, Treeclimber's method sounds right with replacing the seal since the AC unit (and seal) is 16 years old.

Dee
 
Sam, do to the age of the A/C, I would recommend changing it as time permits, if you have the seal. It is installed under the body of the A/C, outside. This, of course, means lifting the unit. Super clean the area (it WILL be ugly under there). I use a contact glue, sparingly to place the sea, then install. ensure it is centered. If re-alignment is required, pick the unit up and reposition it, DON'T slide it even a little. This will curl the seal. Install the bolts loosely and tighten in a rotating pattern. I'm pretty sure you squeeze it down to 1/2". If it's not leaking, and your DH is laid up, do a check every now and then to ensure no leaks.
Tree
 
Thanks for all the replies on the leaking AC.

Dee,You are right it is not a low profile AC. We may not get to this repair until next year. Hopefully when we go camping in Sept. it will have cooled off some. Hopefully,not 90degree days forever. DH had his first post surgical check up today. All is well. So sad the cornea donor was a 21 yr. old. Consider donating organs. I figured the seal needed to be replaced on the roof. We have a friend that we could pay to help with the repair. Cheaper than the dealer. Self help...more fun.
 
Just to clarify.

The water we got in the interior was when the AC was running. It was condensation water. It stoped shortly after we shut the ac down. We are in a moderate drought,as much of the USA is. We got about 3/4 inch of rain the other day. The first rain in 2 months. A very bad year for the garden. Just about all of our lawns are in a dormant state(straw colored).
 
Ive taken mine apart a few times since but still leaking inside ... to make sure the drain holes were clear and they are .and ive made sure all was clean in the pan and such
I will clean the 2 coils and make sure all is right and if it keeps leaking I will replace it.
 
I have experienced it and I know others have also. In some cases it was because the air was so humid the A/C couldn't keep up with the amount of condensation coming off. One remedy is to run the fan on high speed which helps to dispel the water. Sometimes the cooling fins ice up which will at some point melt and allow a large amount of water to come dripping out.
 
Its most definatley humid and hot here in the Atlanta area. I have it apart inside and out but covered ..Im going to run it and see whats going on. when i get time. figured out it can be run when down the plug/ cord pulls that far from the wall....if the ac cant keep up with heat and high humidity thats a whole nother issue because as far as i know thats why you need AC
 
Last edited:
RichR said:
I have experienced it and I know others have also. In some cases it was because the air was so humid the A/C couldn't keep up with the amount of condensation coming off. One remedy is to run the fan on high speed which helps to dispel the water. Sometimes the cooling fins ice up which will at some point melt and allow a large amount of water to come dripping out.
Click to expand...
Rich, EXACTLY. However, in the low-profile ACs, when we had the AC/fan running at full tilt, the fan would sling condensation from the collection reservoir onto the coils, AC would freeze up, and stop running; when thawing occurred, the AC would start up again with a drip onto the floor. We solved the problem by building up the walls of the collection reservoir just enough so that the fan could not sling the condensation. This only happens when you are camping in severe humidity and heat which we have a lot of here in the low country of SC. Our AC (and possibly your AC) has the characteristic of being a low profile unit which crowds the internals of the AC to cause this problem. The old fashion standard ACs similar to what we had on our 2000 Jayco pop up never had this problem.

Dee
 
Reply to AC problems

Rich,R described the exact words DH used. It has been extremely hot and humid all over the USA. We were running our fan on high. Does the AC company have a service tech that could be consulted? I like what Beach did to solve his problem on a low profile AC.
 
OK been checking mine out ..watched it run and and develop a ton of water on the coil and copper lines to the compressor.....the heat it makes in the cover is unreal also.
drilled a few holes in the pan at front and dented the pan down hill by the compressor lines to let the water run out the vent hole .....no more leaking in the camper ....going to insulate the cold side a little better ...but the ac makes so much heat that stays in the cover its unreal even tho it has a fan out for the outside coils ...no matter I have it stopped and it was dripping at least a gallon a day in the camper
 
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