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Old 07-10-2012, 01:42 AM   #1
W. Mark Hellinger
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Default Hosing out basement AC units

My coach (#426) is equipped with a couple of RVAC basement air units. Both seem to function, but they don't really kick-out the jams. Up until "now", for the past year & 1/2 that I've been caretaking #426, I haven't much had the need to bask in air conditioned comfort... but we're having a spell of HOT weather (for us)... 90 - 100F day after day... and I'll admit that having a cool place to retire in the evening has it's attraction. Thus... a few days ago, I flipped the switch to crank up #426's AC units. After burning a few kilowatt hours I came to the conclusion: "This is boarderline lame." So armed with an electric screwdriver I removed the ratfur covered panels around the AC units, and removed enough AC unit tinwork to reveal most of the guts of the AC units. The evaporator coils look good, but the condenser coils are a different story... understandably so, since the condenser coils are basically wide-open exposed to the highway (or whatever road they've previously traveled)... lots of sand, gravel, and basic road grime here, there, and everywhere having to do with the condenser sides of the AC units.

Looks to me like a big ole spring cleaning could improve efficency. It also looks to me like a viable method to produce the intended results would be to hose the condenser sides out with a nozzle equipped garden hose. Except for the wiring... all that condenser side stuff looks pretty well sealed up... as I'd expect it should be beings as it's exposed to whatever the road passing under it can offer.

Any down side to giving the condenser doo-dads a good bath?
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Old 07-10-2012, 01:58 AM   #2
tuga
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Mark,

I cleaned my SCS basement AC units a few years back and it made a big difference. I removed the unit from the coach, opened the top of the metal housing and hosed out the inside being careful not to wet the fan motors, etc.

I also used an acid cleaner on the evaporator and condensor coils; this made them foam up and removed the dirt and grime from the fins. Then I hosed them down with low water pressure & no nozzle. Be sure to thoroughly rinse all of the acid cleaner from the evaporator and condensor coils and fins. That acid may eat thru the copper coils.

They have been working great ever since. Also, change the return air filter (located in the stairwell on my coach) as needed.
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Old 07-11-2012, 12:22 AM   #3
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What Tuga said.

Don't use a high pressure hose or you'll bend the fins on the units. Might want to flip the breakers so you don't get a tingle or worse.
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Old 07-11-2012, 12:46 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuga View Post
Mark,

I cleaned my SCS basement AC units a few years back and it made a big difference. I removed the unit from the coach, opened the top of the metal housing and hosed out the inside being careful not to wet the fan motors, etc.

I also used an acid cleaner on the evaporator and condensor coils; this made them foam up and removed the dirt and grime from the fins. Then I hosed them down with low water pressure & no nozzle. Be sure to thoroughly rinse all of the acid cleaner from the evaporator and condensor coils and fins. That acid may eat thru the copper coils.

They have been working great ever since. Also, change the return air filter (located in the stairwell on my coach) as needed.
Excellent suggestions. That's a great idea to just remove the AC units for a big ole freshen-up, it looks pretty easy (relatively speaking). I think I'll wait till it cools down a little to tackle the job.

I think I'll opt for some purple stuff (Castrol Super Clean) to assist in melting the road grime off the condenser coils. I'm thinking low pressure, hot-hot water will be the ticket to success.
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