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Topic: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner (Read 1133 times) previous topic - next topic

Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

We are packing the coach getting ready to leave our place in Illinois and go to our place in Florida.  My wife sits on the recliner to answer a phone and looks up and sees a stain on the roof liner in front of the front AC.  I take the cover off to check things out and get wet from water on the AC interior cover.  I checked the 4 mounting bolts and everything is tight.  I'm stumped! I can't seem to see where the water is entering.  We did have a very hard storm yesterday with very high winds and rain coming from the south west and our coach front end was facing that direction.  Still with that in mind I still can't determine where the wind was pushing the water through. The only thing I can think of is to check the seal under the AC.  I also need to go on top and check the AC cover for any cracks and make sure it is secure.
We will have to clean the liner when we arrive in Florida.
John M.

[edited topic title to be more descriptive - Michelle]
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Bummer

Reply #1 –
Safe travels back to Florida guys.  Hope its a rain-free trip!
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Bummer

Reply #2 –
John,

Have you checked for small cracks in the roof cover. I doesn't take much of an entry point to have rain water come in via the ceiling grill area.
Jim

2002 U320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #3 –
John:
I had a similar problem and it was cracks in the AC cover, I used eternabond to temporally fix them until I could get a new cover.  Never hurts to change the gasket but make sure you do not over tighten it. 

Jerrett
Jason
1999 U320 36'

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #4 –
John, I had water come pouring in on the bed. Turns out the water came thru around one of the shroud hold down bolts and managed to migrate thru the AC until it exited onto the bed. Caulked the bolts and no more leaks. Oh, I also added a large fender washer under each bolt head.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #5 –
Water can easily leak through the poor seal where the sheet metal blower cover mounts to the base of the AC pan.  You should definitely use HVAC mastic to seal up every seam on your AC from the rooftop.  Aluminum tape didn't work nearly as well as the mastic did.  It will stop any exterior air infiltration and allow your AC to run more efficiently.
Robert
Build # 5304
1998 34' U270 Cummins 6CTA8.3

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #6 –
Well I got up on the coach today and discovered a crack on the shroud.  The crack is on the left front corner edge and it's on the same corner where the water stain is on my headliner.  We will need to put some silicone on it for now till we get to Florida.
John M.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #7 –
You can buy thicker rubber mastic backed foil duct tape, just don't apply it to something that needs to be disassembled. Also when you buy any roll of the foil tape ask for a squeegee (they are like the ones used for body putty) they are normally shipped in the cartons of tape but only about 2 or 3 for every 10 rolls of tape and make application of the tape look very professional.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #8 –
John I currently have the same problem with my rear air unit. Get 3M - 5200 it's a marine sealant. Just don't put it on anything you want to dis assemble later. It can be cut off with a razor blade, but is pretty much permanent when dry. Much better than silicone based sealant.
Cheers Ric 8) 
Previously:'66 VW Bus"Turtle 1";'65 VW Riviera Camper "Turtle 2";
';'91 VW Syncro Camper"Syn";'92 Barth 30' -"The Big Easy"
Currently: 2000 FT U270 40', #5634 -
"Le Bons Temps"; 2003 CRV
Ric & Leslie
"Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #9 –
One of these days I'll find it, but we had a leak in our rear AC when on low. It quit when on high, worth a try. ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #10 –
Mike,

If you get condensate that drips from the unit with the air on low fan, very possible that the evaporator is icing up.

High fan speed may be moving enough air that the evaporator stays above 32 degrees F.  Rear air is much more susceptible, as it is cooling a much smaller area, so lower evaporator temperatures are present.

If using the rear air to cool the front, consider a small fan on the floor of the hall to direct cool air forward.  That will also raise evaporator temperatures and likely will reduce icing.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #11 –
...well I've had water dripping from the rear AC forever, a FOT tech said it was icing up, but it doesn't seems to matter whether the front or the rear AC is on....only the rear ices up, drips cold water into the bathroom. I sleep at night with the front AC on low, rear unit still ices, drips.....no matter which unit is on, it's always dripping from the back. Somebody else offered to go up on the roof & check for mud dobbers, does that make sense? I have a date soon with Paul Y. so one more thing to look at....maybe that fan will help?

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #12 –
Miz,.,

It is quite possible that the drain holes in the A/C drain pan are plugged. Normally it lets condensate water run onto the roof. Pull the A/C cover on the roof to see if you see junk blocking those drain holes. While you are at it, clean the condenser coils you see up there with a brush, maybe a coil cleaner spray and air.
Also check from inside the coach with the ceiling filter cover removed to see if there is lot of debris plugging the evaporator coils. Lastly see how much or how little tension there is on the 4 mounting bolts for the foam roof seal - also from downstairs. Over tightening or under tightening them will encourage condensate water or rain leaks.
Others should contribute their suggestions as well.
Jim

2002 U320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #13 –
If the leaking A/C units are Penguins, I had a problem with one of those units a couple years ago.  I initially thought it was plugged up condensate drain holes, as mentioned above by Jim F.  However, I found my leak in a different place.  I documented my find (and fix) in the thread below:

A/C Water Dripping On Bed - PROBLEM SOLVED
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Bummer - water leaking from air conditioner

Reply #14 –
Good point Chuck, for those with styrofoam pans, the use of coil cleaning products could very well damage the foam and eat holes in it. As stated earlier poor airflow across the evaporator coil can easily lead to icing, dirty fan blades can also reduce fans ability, along with the filters. Once the icing gets started it spreads across the coil quickly.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake