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Ac shroud question

I'm replacing the AC shrouds on top of the RV. We purchased the Icon shrouds during the hurricane shipping special and I'm just getting around to putting them up. As you'll see from the attached photos the existing shrouds have a foam insert, for some reason, and the new ones don't.

Is this insulation necessary, and if so, what exactly does it do.

Thanks
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Ac shroud question

Reply #1 –
Quote from: floridarandy –
1. Is this insulation necessary, and if so,
1a. what exactly does it do.

Randy,

1. Yes
1a. It is there to direct air flow through your coil and not around it.  This foam should have been attached to the A.C unit not the shroud.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Ac shroud question

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Pamela & Mike –
..............This foam should have been attached to the A.C unit not the shroud......................
Mike,
FT is one of the few (that I have found) that attaches the foam to the shroud.  Usually, the foam is just attached to the AC.
 
When I asked about that, because the foam self sticking glue becomes brittle and fails due to the high heat of the shroud when the sun beats down on it, one of the FT Motorcade techs told me that FT has done that for years to force people (owners or techs) to refresh the foam when the shrouds are changed.  Otherwise, they "cheat" and just change the shroud, without installing new foam.

Have no idea the veracity of that, but it makes sense.

Having said all of that, when I first serviced my AC's on our 2002, the foam was applied to the AC's.  And, unlike trying to install the foam with any accuracy, and have it stay stuck,  on the shroud,  I feel that the self stick glue lasts longer on the AC frame as well.

HTH,
Neal
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Neal (& Brenda) Pillsbury
'02 U320 SPEC, 4200, DGFE, Build #5984
'04 Gold Wing
'07 Featherlite 24'
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
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Exeter, NH & LaBelle FL
Quality makes the Heart Soar long after Price is Forgotten

Re: Ac shroud question

Reply #3 –
I bought new shrouds at Camping World and the foam was just loose in the package.  Being my normal self, I did not read the instructions in their entirety until after completing.  I placed the foam as accurately as I could (wrong)  to the shroud based on their diagram to place them.  I should have placed the foam on the ac unit itself, guarantying they were in the right place.  Their replacement in the correct position will just have to wait until this summer.
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Re: Ac shroud question

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Jack Lewis –
  I should have placed the foam on the ac unit itself, guarantying they were in the right place. 

Jack,

This is the problem with installing the foam on the shroud as you have no way to be sure that the seal is in the proper place.  A new foam strip should be installed on a regular basis. I put new foam on at least every other season as we clean our coils and lube fans yearly. It isn't anything special as any home improvement store has it if you don't have an A/C supply company close to you. 

Pamela & Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
 

Re: Ac shroud question

Reply #5 –
Yup.  Loews 1 in.² by 42 inch rolls of foam. Spray adhesive applied to foam them to air-conditioner. Additional spray adhesive to top of foam before placement of shroud. Easy.

Thanks for the help.

Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"